University of North Carolina Athletics
Photo by: UNC Athletic Communications
GoHeels Exclusive: All Work, No Play For Rene
August 4, 2019 | Football, Featured Writers
By Pat James, GoHeels.com
Inspired by the many NFL players who show up for training camp in flashy rides and unusual outfits, Patrice Rene hoped to make the most of his arrival to the last training camp of his North Carolina career.
Before reporting to camp on Thursday, Rene started brainstorming how he could make his entrance special. He wanted it to be comical. More importantly, he wanted to make a statement.
That's why the cornerback showed up to the Hyatt Place wearing a hard hat, safety goggles and an orange construction vest, an outfit that not only encapsulated the "Let's get this work" mantra that Tim Cross has popularized among the team and fans, but also reflects Rene's attitude entering his senior season.
"It's all work, no play," Rene told reporters after UNC's second training camp practice on Saturday. "This is my last (training camp). So this is all or nothing for me. It's definitely special, and I'm definitely coming in with a different mindset and just working."
Coming off a stellar junior campaign, Rene enters this season as the Tar Heels' lockdown corner, a role he's seem destined for ever since he arrived on campus. But it certainly wasn't handed to him.
The 6-foot-2, 208-pounder has dealt with adversity throughout his career, most notably during his freshman season. Thrown into the fire in the 2016 season opener against Georgia, Rene was flagged twice for pass interference on a crucial second-half touchdown drive. From there, he struggled to regain his confidence.
He's also faced the challenge of learning from four different cornerback coaches, including Dré Bly, in his four years. Still, at the end of spring ball, Bly said Rene had adjusted to what he and defensive coordinator Jay Bateman teach. And he's completely bought in.
"Coach Bateman comes in and he's a mastermind," Rene said. "He really gets offenses, he understands everything and tries to put us in the best positions to win and make plays.
"The front seven, they have a whole bunch of different packages, blitzes; you don't know who is coming. For us in the back end, there are different types of coverages, half-field coverages, one side of the field doing something while the other side of the field is doing something else. So a variety of stuff. We're getting better, for sure."
Rene's doing his part to ensure they do.
Rene is by far Carolina's most experienced cornerback, having started 19 games and played 33. Sophomore Trey Morrison's 10 starts are the second most among UNC's corners.
So, it's surely encouraging that Rene has been one of the most vocal players on the defensive side of the ball through two days of camp.
"I've always considered myself a leader," he said. "Even when I came in as a freshman, I was out there trying to compete and set the tone. But as you get older, you have more experience and freshmen come in and look up to you, ask you questions and kind of lean on you for help.
"You're the older guy and you have a little bit more experience, but also as a competitor, you want to be that guy who the team relies on and kind of leads us to success."
Rene proved he can be that player last season, tallying 31 tackles, two interceptions and five pass breakups. He allowed 20 catches on 50 targets, good for the lowest completion percentage (40 percent) for a returning ACC cornerback (min. 250 coverage snaps), according to Pro Football Focus. His 41.3 passer rating allowed in coverage is also the lowest among returning ACC corners.
Just how good Rene was might've been overlooked by some observers amid a 2-9 season. But if his grand arrival to training camp is any indication, he plans to make his senior campaign quite memorable.
"(My goals are to) be first-team All-ACC at my position, win all the games that we have and just have success," Rene said. "As long as the team is winning, I'm winning and doing good, it'll be a good year."
For up-to-date information on Carolina football, visit GoHeels.com/Football and follow us on Twitter (@TarHeelFootball), Instagram (@tarheelfootball) and Facebook (Facebook.com/TarHeelFootball).
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Inspired by the many NFL players who show up for training camp in flashy rides and unusual outfits, Patrice Rene hoped to make the most of his arrival to the last training camp of his North Carolina career.
Before reporting to camp on Thursday, Rene started brainstorming how he could make his entrance special. He wanted it to be comical. More importantly, he wanted to make a statement.
That's why the cornerback showed up to the Hyatt Place wearing a hard hat, safety goggles and an orange construction vest, an outfit that not only encapsulated the "Let's get this work" mantra that Tim Cross has popularized among the team and fans, but also reflects Rene's attitude entering his senior season.
"It's all work, no play," Rene told reporters after UNC's second training camp practice on Saturday. "This is my last (training camp). So this is all or nothing for me. It's definitely special, and I'm definitely coming in with a different mindset and just working."
Coming off a stellar junior campaign, Rene enters this season as the Tar Heels' lockdown corner, a role he's seem destined for ever since he arrived on campus. But it certainly wasn't handed to him.
The 6-foot-2, 208-pounder has dealt with adversity throughout his career, most notably during his freshman season. Thrown into the fire in the 2016 season opener against Georgia, Rene was flagged twice for pass interference on a crucial second-half touchdown drive. From there, he struggled to regain his confidence.
He's also faced the challenge of learning from four different cornerback coaches, including Dré Bly, in his four years. Still, at the end of spring ball, Bly said Rene had adjusted to what he and defensive coordinator Jay Bateman teach. And he's completely bought in.
"Coach Bateman comes in and he's a mastermind," Rene said. "He really gets offenses, he understands everything and tries to put us in the best positions to win and make plays.
"The front seven, they have a whole bunch of different packages, blitzes; you don't know who is coming. For us in the back end, there are different types of coverages, half-field coverages, one side of the field doing something while the other side of the field is doing something else. So a variety of stuff. We're getting better, for sure."
Rene's doing his part to ensure they do.
Rene is by far Carolina's most experienced cornerback, having started 19 games and played 33. Sophomore Trey Morrison's 10 starts are the second most among UNC's corners.
So, it's surely encouraging that Rene has been one of the most vocal players on the defensive side of the ball through two days of camp.
"I've always considered myself a leader," he said. "Even when I came in as a freshman, I was out there trying to compete and set the tone. But as you get older, you have more experience and freshmen come in and look up to you, ask you questions and kind of lean on you for help.
"You're the older guy and you have a little bit more experience, but also as a competitor, you want to be that guy who the team relies on and kind of leads us to success."
Rene proved he can be that player last season, tallying 31 tackles, two interceptions and five pass breakups. He allowed 20 catches on 50 targets, good for the lowest completion percentage (40 percent) for a returning ACC cornerback (min. 250 coverage snaps), according to Pro Football Focus. His 41.3 passer rating allowed in coverage is also the lowest among returning ACC corners.
Just how good Rene was might've been overlooked by some observers amid a 2-9 season. But if his grand arrival to training camp is any indication, he plans to make his senior campaign quite memorable.
"(My goals are to) be first-team All-ACC at my position, win all the games that we have and just have success," Rene said. "As long as the team is winning, I'm winning and doing good, it'll be a good year."
For up-to-date information on Carolina football, visit GoHeels.com/Football and follow us on Twitter (@TarHeelFootball), Instagram (@tarheelfootball) and Facebook (Facebook.com/TarHeelFootball).
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