GoHeels Exclusive: Sunday Practice Notebook

Photo by: UNC Athletic Communications

August 11, 2019 | Football, Featured Writers

By: Pat James

By Pat James, GoHeels.com

Speaking with reporters after North Carolina's first scrimmage of training camp on Saturday at Kenan Stadium, players indicated the defense capped an impressive week of play by besting the offense once again.

After an afternoon of watching film, Mack Brown agreed.

"The defense looked really good," Brown told reporters following UNC's ninth training camp practice on Sunday. "They forced turnovers, they flew around, they chased the ball, especially the first defense."

When asked if any individuals competing for starting jobs separated themselves, Brown didn't mention any names. Instead, he again referenced the defense's overall performance.

"I think the separation yesterday was that the defense really whooped the offense and that's good for us," Brown said. "We haven't been consistently good on defense. We weren't in the spring. With those guys back now who weren't here in the spring – the offense just ran up and down the field in the spring and did whatever they wanted to – so it's really good right now that the defense is stepping up and pressing the offense and making them get tougher and making them make better decisions and making them compete harder.

"That's really helping us right now. We'd rather find out that we've got some issues we've got to fix right now than Sunday after South Carolina."

Here are five more notes from Sunday's availability:

Offense responds

Despite the defense's strong play, Brown said the offense was still able to move the ball at times. But mistakes led to some drives stalling out.

"The offense was ready to play, we thought," Brown said. "They moved the ball some, but they just weren't consistent, weren't focused, which is an area we've really got to address. We didn't have many penalties, so they did a good job there. But we had two interceptions, we had a fumble inside the 5, we had a holding penalty at the 15 going in, so just things that kept us from scoring. And that's obviously not what we need."

At this point in training camp, Brown said it's not uncommon for the defense to be ahead of the offense. So, Brown wasn't discouraged by the offense.

"By and large, the defense should be ahead of the offense – and they are," Brown said. "And I told the offense last night, 'You all need to get the swagger and the confidence that the defense is getting. The only way you can do that is if you whoop them and move the ball.' And they stepped up better today."

Brown called Sunday's practice the best of training camp.

Quarterbacks still competing

On Tuesday, Brown said he and the rest of the coaching staff likely wouldn't know more about quarterbacks Cade Fortin, Sam Howell and Jace Ruder until after the second scrimmage. The head coach stood by that comment Sunday, saying neither Fortin or Howell built any separation during the scrimmage, which Ruder didn't play in because of a lower body injury.

"What we're doing with them is just trying to get some consistency," Brown said. "Who is getting the ball in the end zone? And now that we're dealing with situations in practice, one-minute (drills) and such, and now that we've had our scrimmage, they're understanding the offense did not play well.

"So, right now, it's not about the quarterbacks. It's about the whole offense getting better so we can decide on a quarterback."

Ruder returned to practice on Sunday.

'Mixing things up' along O-line

Although the Tar Heels appear set at three spots along the offensive line with Charlie Heck at left tackle, Ed Montilus at left guard and Jordan Tucker at right tackle, it remains to be seen who will start at center and right guard. Nick Polino continues taking snaps at both positions.

"We've gone back and forth with Nick," Brown said. "He had a bad snap yesterday. We're trying to get him settled. But it's really center and right guard that we're trying to get settled on, and we're still mixing things up, trying to figure out the best combination."

Brian Anderson, William Barnes and Triston Miller are among the other names in the mix.

Linebackers making progress

Myles Dorn praised the linebackers on Saturday for how smart and fast they are. When asked about that unit on Sunday, Brown said it's "coming along well."

"It's just the most inexperienced group in the country," Brown said. "You've got two older ones with (Jonathan) Smith and Dominique Ross, but then (Chazz) Surratt has never played in a ballgame (at linebacker), your two freshmen (Eugene Asante and Khadry Jackson) have never played in a college ballgame and then you've got (Jeremiah) Gemmel who hasn't played really at all at that position in a game and (Matthew) Flint who hasn't played at all.

"So, poor ol' Tommy (Thigpen) may lose his hair. But they're athletic and they're trying and we're making progress there. We didn't have good fits early and this offense has got a lot of misdirection and a lot of things that make it hard for linebackers, but they're doing a lot better now."

Kicking game showing promise

After expressing concerns about the kicking game throughout spring ball, Brown called it inconsistent after UNC's first training camp practice. But he said Sunday that it's been better since then.

"Ben Kiernan has a tremendous leg," Brown said. "He can really punt it. That's a real asset for us. Drew Little was listed as one of the best snappers in the country and he's really good. I think those two, for sure. (Noah) Ruggles has missed very few kicks. A walk-on from Virginia named Jonathan Kim is also punting and kicking very well, so he'd be the backup punter and the backup kicker today. …

"Michael Rubino is our kickoff guy. He's kicking it about seven yards deep (into the end zone), so that really helps us for our kickoff coverage."

In regard to the punt coverage, Brown said the coaching staff had to take Kiernan outside the indoor practice facility because his punts were hitting the roof, about 85 feet above the field.

"That's a pretty big feat when you start looking at that (roof)," Brown said. "So we took him outside to do his punting. He was a little nervous when he walked into Kenan Stadium for the first time, but I think he still had a 60-something-yarder yesterday."