GoHeels Exclusive: Midweek Notebook

Allen Cater, Jeremiah Gemmel
University of North Carolina Football v Virginia Tech
Lane Stadium
Blacksburg, VA
Saturday, October 19, 2019

Photo by: Andy Mead

October 23, 2019 | Football, Featured Writers

By: Pat James

By Pat James, GoHeels.com

Although North Carolina's 43-41 six-overtime defeat against Virginia Tech on Saturday was disappointing, Michael Carter said it didn't hurt more than any other loss.

And just like any other loss, he plans to learn from it.

"I've never been a part of a game that went into that many overtimes," Carter told reporters on Tuesday. "So, it was just taking it for what it was and trying to move on to the next. A lesson I've learned from it so far is don't let one loss beat you twice."

Carter and his teammates will look to ensure that doesn't happen between now and Saturday's rivalry game against Duke. Before then, he and five other players met with reporters on Tuesday evening. Here are five notes from what they had to say:

Quick recovery

According to Pro Football Focus, seven players (Myles Dorn, Storm Duck, D.J. Ford, Tomon Fox, Dominique Ross, Greg Ross and Chazz Surratt) played all 84 defensive snaps on Saturday. Aaron Crawford and Jeremiah Gemmel played 83, and Jason Strowbridge and Allen Cater played 77 and 66, respectively.

On offense, the Tar Heels logged 94 snaps, including the fake punt. Five players (Brian Anderson, Charlie Heck, Sam Howell, Marcus McKethan and Jordan Tucker) played 93. Beau Corrales, Dazz Newsome and Garrett Walston played 68 or more.

So, as much UNC needed to recover emotionally from the loss, it was just as imperative to recover physically. But that apparently wasn't a problem.

"I woke up Sunday morning and I was very sore," Anderson said. "I mean, we probably played a game and a half worth of snaps. But we have a great nutrition and strength staff, and after just the weekend I feel great and recovered right now. The whole weekend was great and I feel great right now."

"They get us right," said Carter, who played 52 snaps, of the strength and conditioning staff. "My body feels good."

The task ahead

Brown said last week that he and his staff inform the team every Sunday of its current position within the conference race as well as nationally, displaying the Coastal Division standings and potential bowl games.

So, after dropping to 2-2 in ACC play, the players know they'll likely have to defeat Duke, Virginia, Pittsburgh and NC State to capture the Coastal crown.

"We know we have to win out," Dominique Ross said. "That's just what Coach Brown is talking about is winning out. Although it is about the bowl games and winning the Coastal, we're winning every game after this. It's win out from here."

Ross' role

With Surratt seamlessly transitioning to Will linebacker and Gemmel's emergence at the Mike, Dominique Ross' role has changed significantly since the season started. The self-described Sam/nickel-type linebacker has been asked to rush the quarterback, play inside the box and cover the No. 2 slot receiver.

On Tuesday, Ross was asked if it's been a major adjustment for him to drop into coverage and play in space more often. He said it hasn't been.

"I always want to cover, I've always had the knack to cover," said the senior. "It's just getting more reps at it. Playing in space wasn't really a challenge for me. I just do whatever Coach needs me to do."

He just happens to make it look relatively easy.

"Not too much stress has been on me and Chazz," Gemmel said, "but D. Ross, he's not even in the position he signed up to play and he's out there making plays and doing what he has to do for the team."

'A recruit's perfect world'

Another player who has showcased his versatility has been Cater.

A defensive end in his first three seasons at Carolina, Cater, who is listed as a linebacker, said he's "all over the place." Sometimes he'll play the 3-technique, meaning he'll be lined up on the outside shoulder of the offensive guard. Other times he'll be at the 4 (lined up over the offensive tackle), the 4i (lined up over the tackle's inside shoulder) or the 5 (lined up over the tackle's outside shoulder). He'll also drop into coverage.

"I would say to me it's fun because I get the best of both worlds," Cater said. "I get to drop in coverage, I get to go rush the quarterback, I get to make plays on first and second down. So, I would say it's a recruit's perfect world. You come here and you get to play everything."

Bring the Bell back

Of all the players on the roster, only eight were on the team the last time the Tar Heels beat Duke, back in 2015. Cater and Ross were high school seniors then. And both spoke on Tuesday about trying to win their last game against the Blue Devils.

"It would mean a lot to win the game," Cater said. "It would mean a lot for the young guys coming in to show them, 'Hey, this is how we do things at Carolina. This is what we want to keep doing in the future.' It's an impact to recruiting. It's an impact for the fans. … And this game Saturday is going to have a huge impact for the rest of the season and for me, the rest of my career."

"We're not really talking about it much, but we know we've got to get it done," Ross said. "They're not finna sweep us. We've got to go get it."

Howell recognizes how much a win on Saturday would mean to the seniors.

"It'll definitely mean a lot, just knowing how much work these guys have put in here," he said. "They really deserve to win this game on Saturday and this University deserves to win it. I think the (Victory) Bell has been gone for too long, so we need to bring it back."