GoHeels Exclusive: Searels on the Offensive Line
May 6, 2019 | Football, Featured Writers
By Pat James, GoHeels.com
At times in a 27-year coaching career that has seen him oversee the offensive line at some of the nation's top programs, Stacy Searels has arrived at a new school and had roughly seven scholarship linemen to work with during spring practice.
Going through one such spring would make any offensive line coach wary whenever they change schools. But depth wasn't an issue for Searels in his first spring at North Carolina.
"We probably had 14 or 15 kids, maybe more than that – 16 maybe – who rotated this spring, who practiced," he said. "Now, are there 14, 15, 16 ready to play? No. But as far as bodies being able to practice, being able to have a blue, white and gray unit – our first, second and third unit – that was good."
And largely because of that, the Tar Heels were able to take some steps toward finding the right combination of players on the offensive line this spring.
Tied with Aaron Crawford for first on the team in returning career starts (22), Charlie Heck figures to anchor the offensive line in 2019. A season ago, Heck allowed 12 pressures (one sack, four quarterback hits and seven hurries) on 431 pass-blocking snaps at right tackle, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF). That earned the rising redshirt senior a spot on the website's All-ACC second team.
Now, with William Sweet gone, Heck is expected to switch to left tackle and protect the blind side of UNC's quarterback, whoever that might be.
"Charlie Heck is a pleasure to coach," Searels said. "A lot of times you can come into a new system, a new program, and you've got a senior who may balk at coaching because I may do something a little different from a previous coach or something like that. Charlie has embraced what we're trying to teach and he's been a pleasure to coach.
"I think if Charlie continues to grow, get stronger and play physical, he can play as long as he wants to play."
With Heck's move, Jordan Tucker has emerged as the potential starter at right tackle. The rising redshirt sophomore appeared in eight games last season and started the final contest against NC State at left tackle.
"In my career, it's always hard to find elite tackles, and I think right now we've got two pretty good tackles in Charlie Heck and Jordan Tucker," Searels said. "They both have length, they both have size, they both have athleticism. And I'm excited about the two tackles. I think they can be really good."
But who starts between them remains to be seen.
According to PFF, Nick Polino led the team in offensive snaps (798) last season, starting all 11 games at left guard. This spring, he spent most of his time at center since Jay-Jay McCargo, Carolina's center last season, couldn't snap the ball because of a hand injury.
That move was expected to be temporary. It might be permanent, though, following McCargo's decision to take a medical hardship and retire from football. Still, the possibility remains that Polino stays at left guard due to the emergence of another player at center.
"During the early part, it was an adjustment for (Polino) to snap the football," Searels said. "And over the last five or six practices, he did really well. But at center, the young man who came on really well for us was Brian Anderson. He had a good spring. I think Brian has earned some snaps and it'll be interesting to see who ends up being the center when it comes opening game."
If that ends up being Polino, Ed Montilus seems like a candidate to earn the starting job at left guard thanks to a strong spring.
Along with Apopka (Fla.) High school teammate William Barnes, Montilus signed with the Tar Heels in February 2018. Montilus didn't draw as much attention as Barnes, who Searels said has lost about 25 pounds this spring. But Searels, who previously coached at Miami, said Montilus "caught (his) eye" when he watched Montilus and Barnes practice in high school.
Montilus then continued impressing this spring.
"Ed Montillus was outstanding," Searels said. "The thing he's got to do is play more consistent. He just doesn't have the experience. … There were certain days he was as good as anybody in practice. He uses his hands well, he played physical, he moved his feet well. And then there would be days where he'd lapse a little bit.
"Ed has the ability to be a really good player in this league. He's got to be more consistent. But I thought he was a bright spot in the offensive line this spring."
Other notable performers included rising redshirt sophomores Billy Ross and Marcus McKethan. Ross started all 11 games at right guard last season. McKethan appeared in five along the offensive line and on special teams.
"Billy has rotated with blue and white unit, our first and second units, and has done a good job," Searels said. "He's had certain days better than others. Again, we're looking for the consistency. Marcus has shown flashes of being able to compete in this league. He's got to do it on a daily basis right now."
Overall, Searels said UNC's offensive linemen "did a good job" of quickly getting to the line of scrimmage. That's necessary in the Air Raid offense. Searels also said the offensive line's assignments are "simplified" in the system, allowing the members of the unit to "hone in on being technically sound and playing very violent."
Whoever displays those qualities the best will likely help compose the starting offensive line when Carolina opens the 2019 season against South Carolina on Aug. 31 in Charlotte.
"We're looking for five guys who can play with extreme effort on every snap, five guys who have an attitude," Searels said. "Every day they show up, (they're thinking,) 'We're going to be the toughest unit on the field.' They've got to be both mentally and physically tough. That they're not distracted. That they do their job on a consistent basis.
"We want five guys who know what to do, that we don't have mental errors and that we know our offense so well that we play instinctive, play fast and play violent."
