GoHeels Exclusive: Bateman on the Safeties
June 4, 2019 | Football, Featured Writers
By Pat James, GoHeels.com
With the loss of J.K. Britt to graduation and veterans Myles Dorn and Myles Wolfolk hampered by injuries, the safety position was one of North Carolina's thinnest depth-wise entering spring practice.
But that didn't prevent the Tar Heel safeties from making a strong impression on Jay Bateman.
"I really enjoy their leadership," said Bateman, UNC's co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach. "I think to play safety in college football now you have to be a real quarterback on defense and make calls and get people lined up. I've been impressed with their knowledge, their work ethic and their willingness to learn."
Learning the intricacies of Bateman's defense certainly came with some challenges. But Bateman said there were several times when he'd "be on the road recruiting or at home at 9:30 p.m. and I'd get a text message, like, 'Coach, this call, what should we do into this?'"
"So I think seeing them work at it was great," he said. "And I thought they made some plays as the spring went on."
Since arriving in Chapel Hill in December, Bateman has emphasized the importance of stopping the run. The safeties, he said, will have to help accomplish that. And they proved this spring that they can be relied upon.
"You look at Myles Dorn and Wolfolk and D.J. Ford and Bryson Richardson, those are all four big bodies, which I think is important," Bateman said. "I don't want a bunch of little safeties. So I think that part is great.
"I think all four of those guys in the spring had put on film – well, not Dorn, because he didn't practice, but the other three – a willingness to get involved in the run and be physical. That's certainly an attribute that I think is a positive one for our room."
According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Dorn played 605 snaps last season, the third most among Carolina's returning defensive players. Over the last three seasons, the rising senior has made 21 career starts, tied with Jason Strowbridge for the second most on the team.
Although Dorn wasn't able to go through a majority of spring practice, Bateman said his experience is evident.
"I think Myles is really smart," Bateman said. "He really understands football. I'm really excited to be able to officially work with him with a helmet on whenever we start (fall camp)."
Wolfolk also dealt with an injury this spring. But the rising redshirt junior, who showed signs of promise in four games last season, took advantage of his time on the field.
"Myles Wolfolk missed all of spring as far as live contacts goes, but the last half of spring we were able to get him in thud tempo and pass (skeleton) and that kind of stuff," Bateman said. "And to see him go out there and lead, I thought it really helped us when he got out there."
Injuries sidelined rising redshirt junior D.J. Ford for most of his first two seasons at UNC. But with the Tar Heels' secondary banged up last fall, he played 175 snaps in nine games, according to PFF. He tallied 15 tackles, two pass breakups and a forced fumble.
Ford parlayed that into a successful spring. Few players received as much praise from their teammates and coaches as the 6-foot-3, 210-pound safety.
"We asked him to play three different positions in a brand new defense," Bateman said. "Certainly, he wasn't perfect every snap. But he did a really nice job. He's a guy who has got a lot of physical talent. He's a big guy, long, really smart. I think he's going to play a lot of football for us."
As a true freshman, Richardson appeared in all 11 games in the secondary and on special teams. All 86 of his defensive snaps came at cornerback, according to PFF. But he spent most of the spring at safety while moving all over the field.
"I think he's a tough kid," Bateman said. "He may not be the cover defender some of the other ones are. Bryson is probably the most run-stopping safety of the four. But really bright, really smart, really tough and a guy who can do a lot of things. I think you'll see Bryson Richardson playing a lot of different roles for us."
Bateman said the same about Trey Morrison, who "could play anywhere he wanted to." Morrison played in all 11 games (10 starts) at nickelback as a true freshman last season. He saw time there and at safety in the spring game.
Giovanni Biggers and Cam'Ron Kelly, who were among the eight newcomers who recently arrived in Chapel Hill, will join the safety room this fall. Bateman said Biggers is one of the incoming freshmen he knows the most about; he recruited Biggers at Army.
"When I got the job and saw he was one of the guys committed, I was pretty fired up," Bateman said. "I think Giovani is going to play a lot of football for us."
