University of North Carolina Athletics
Defensive Line Commits To Get Fit
August 24, 2009 | Football
Aug. 24, 2009
Sleeker. Trimmer. Faster. Everything you loved about last year's model, upgraded in a brand new package. No, not the new Motorola, Mercedes or MacBook; it's the Tar Heel defensive line. Everyone returns from the 2008 edition to a defensive line that has added freshmen Jared McAdoo and Donte Paige-Moss. That's ten veterans (four of them starters) two SuperPrep All-Americas, and transfer Jordan Nix along the front line of Carolina's defense.
Not only is the unit deeper than in recent years, it's finally getting fit. "One thing that's really showing up, as far as the D line goes, we're in a lot better shape than we used to be," says senior E.J. Wilson, who returns for his third season starting at defensive end. "There's going to be a lot more energy, a lot more chasing the ball."
Tar Heel Head Coach Butch Davis says the defensive line is in the best shape of his tenure at Carolina. "One, because there's depth, and two, because they've really trained hard in the off-season." Davis says this group took it upon themselves to watch their weight and cut body fat. Additionally, they're taking part in extra conditioning after practice to improve stamina. "Clearly there's more of them than 2007 and probably even 2008, and they're in pretty good shape."
In the months between spring practice and the opening of training camp, players have to take it upon themselves to maintain or improve physical fitness. "Had to," says junior defensive tackle Marvin Austin. "We've got the talent. We've got the coaching, so we just had to take it upon ourselves to go out there, get in shape, be able to run all day, and be able to go out there and compete every game."
The work doesn't just get done on the practice field or in the weight room. Eating habits must be controlled. Wilson says many of the players cut fried foods from their diets, and are trying to eat less, and more efficiently. "You want to go for a long time, you've got to cut something," say senior defensive tackle Cam Thomas. "You've got to sacrifice some things, and that's body weight. I basically had a 15-pound vest on (last year), so I had to cut down."
After watching film of their play in 2008, the defensive line knew that something was missing. "We saw a lot of games last year where we missed a lot of sacks, and that just came from finishing," Austin says. We're trying to come out here and finish better." To that end, they've worked with strength coach Jeff Connors and his staff to transform their bodies.
"Coach C, he knows our potential," Thomas says. "So he's going to stay on us. Sometimes it's hard. You want to go back and eat something, but you've got to realize what to focus on, what's at hand, what's at stake." Thomas says the commitment has been across the board. "T. Brown (Tavares Brown, he's cutting down. Al (Aleric Mullins), Dreke (Tydreke Powell), Marv. As a whole, we're doing pretty good."
The difference has been easy to see during training camp. The players are passing conditioning tests with flying colors, and are able to play longer in practice. "We're actually kind of impressed with ourselves," Wilson says. "We're in better shape than we even thought we were." Wilson says late in games, he and his linemates will be making more plays, and tapping their helmets - the universal fatigue signal - less.
Fit and deep, this group says it's going to be dangerous, able to make plays themselves and open up holes for a speedy group of linebackers. "It's going to be ugly," Austin says. "We've got so many D tackles, nose guards, defensive ends, just knowing that we know our stuff, and we can go out there and execute at high speed."
"I feel a big difference," says sophomore Quinton Coples. "When you're out there playing 12 to 14 plays, and still giving it your all, giving other people breaks, it makes a big difference as far as winning and losing." And that, after all, is the bottom line.
Turner Walston is the managing editor of Tar Heel Monthly. Follow the THM staff on Twitter.
