University of North Carolina Athletics
Turner's Take: The Heartbeat
September 1, 2016 | Football, Featured Writers, Turner Walston
By Turner Walston
The Tar Heel football coaching staff has tried its best to prepare the 2016 team for what they will encounter this weekend. Kickoff with Georgia is slated for 5:30 p.m. on Saturday. In the run up, the Tar Heels have watched film of Kirby Smart's defense at Alabama, of Bulldogs offensive coordinator Jim Chaney's play-calling at Pittsburgh last year. They've scrimmaged, they've battled in two-minute drills and offense vs. defense match-ups at Navy Fields. They've had crowd noise piped in on top of the constant hip hop during practice. They're ready to go.
But despite all the preparation, questions remain. Questions that can only be answered when there is another opponent across the field, another jersey color lining up against the Tar Heels.
"Definitely," head coach Larry Fedora said on Wednesday. "How are we going to handle adversity? We try to put them in as many uncomfortable situations in camp as possible, to try to hopefully get them comfortable being uncomfortable. So now we're going to find out if they can be comfortable being uncomfortable, because there are going to be things that come up in this game, some type of adversity that we're going to have to handle as a team, and there aren't going to be any coaches out there on the field to encourage you or talk you off the ledge."
No, there won't be coaches on the field (between the lines, at least). So the next best thing is to have a player that the coaches trust to act as their intermediary, someone who can take that adversity and be trusted to execute the game plan, no matter the stress. The Tar Heel offense has that in spades: one of the nation's most experienced offensive lines, a veteran group of wide receivers and tailbacks, and even first-year starting quarterback Mitch Trubisky is a redshirt junior with real-world game experience.
On the defensive side of the ball, it's a bit of a different story. The two unquestioned leaders on the 2015 defense were senior linebackers Jeff Schoettmer and Shakeel Rashad, who combined for 223 tackles. But seniors graduate, and someone must step up in their absence. As the middle linebacker, Schoettmer was responsible for setting the defensive alignment. That's a responsibility not to be taken lightly.
Now comes sophomore Andre Smith, the linebacker who started three games and appeared in all 14 as a true freshman. Smith finished with 53 tackles, and he quickly earned the confidence of his teammates, even Schoettmer and Rashad a year ago. It's his time now.
"When I went in with Jeff and Shakeel, I still set all the fronts (as a freshman)," Smith said. "I guess being out there with them, knowing that they were older –they already knew what they were doing– but having me call the shots, I think that's where I know that I have to take charge."
"The reps that he got last year were very valuable to his development, and you can tell he has a confidence to him now, that he's been through this before," linebackers coach John Papuchis said of Smith. "I think he'll be ready to play well on Saturday."
Only the adversity of game day will illuminate how well Smith acclimates to the leadership position without a coach on the field, without a senior linebacker by his side. "JP (Papuchis) has always told me that you've got to take command, especially the middle linebacker has to take command and control the defense," Smith said. "He has to be the heartbeat."
Smith missed spring practice with an injury, and he's chomping at the bit to make plays on Saturday. After a year of playing within Gene Chizik's defense, Smith is confident in his own role, so he's taken his work ethic to film study, to play recognition and anticipation.
"Instead of worrying about doing my job on the defense, I'm getting more into the film study, to see what [the opponent] likes to do to on openers, 1st and 10, 2nd and 7, third downs, and then different personnels that they like," he said. "I've definitely watched more film instead of worrying about what I should do in this coverage, or what's my fun fit. I already know it. It's second nature, so I just try to work on anticipating and seeing what they're going to do."
That film study included looking back at Chaney's Pitt offense from the Tar Heels' matchup with the Panthers a year ago. He played every snap of that game and recorded 11 tackles. "I feel very comfortable with their offense," Smith said. "I really think I know it well."
So Smith, who switched from #56 to #10 in the off-season, will be the heartbeat of the Tar Heel defense on Saturday, communicating with a rejuvenated defensive line ahead of him, a veteran secondary behind him, and the many young players that populate the depth chart. It will be a test, an adversity, but one that he embraces.
And when he makes the right read, when he recognizes a call and makes a play? "It's going to feel great. You get to make the play, maybe do a little dance or something on TV. It's just going to be like, 'Man, all this paid off,' especially with me being hurt and not playing all spring. I've really been missing football, so just to be back in the game action and having the adrenaline going through me, it's just going to feel amazing."
And that heart will be beating.
