CHAPEL HILL – UNC defensive coordinator Gene Chizik met with the media following Thursday’s practice, the fourth of fall camp for the Tar Heels. Here is what the fist-year UNC assistant had to say:
Q: In the spring, you guys moved slowly with the new defense, the players called it “one term a day.” How much faster has it been this week?
Chizik: I think it’s been much faster. The recall has been really good. I think they did a lot of homework on their own over the summer, they did a lot of studying because I really feel like they want to be better and they want to be good. And, they took a lot of that upon themselves this summer, so I think it’s been quicker than I really expected the first four days.
Q: What’s the status at the weak side linebacker position between (Cayson) Collins and (Joe) Jackson?
Chizik: Right now, Joe Jackson came out of the spring as the starter, but we don’t inherit positions so we opened everything back up. We’ll go in with a leader but that doesn’t necessarily mean it stays that way. So, right now that’s where it is, but all positions are open.
Q: Have you found yourself and the new staff on defense having to coach confidence more than you have in previous years when defenses were coming off of better years?
Chizik: I don’t think so, we don’t really talk about that a lot. Confidence comes with preparation, (and) I think the guys feel like they’re being prepared, I think they’re doing their part in being prepared. So, I think confidence obviously comes with success as well. So, we’re starting all over, but like anything with life, if you’re confident you know what you’re doing then you’re confident you can execute it. I think that’s more of where they’re at right now, so we don’t need to talk about that.
Q: What signs do you look for that your guys are getting comfortable and getting it?
Chizik: Well, they’re having a lot of fun. This is a grind, but we’re still managing to have fun in the grind. They’ve worked extremely hard the first four days, I’m really proud of them. But, like I said, they’re execution and what whey retained from this spring has been really, really big. That tells me that they’ve bought into everything, they did their homework over the summer, they’re having fun doing what they’re doing because they’re understanding it better and they’re doing it and actually executing it better. We’ve obviously got a ways to go, but if you look at where we were four days into the spring versus where we are four days into the fall it’s night and day.
Q: How do you make sure the players don’t freak out with these new schemes with just a few weeks to go before the season?
Chizik: Everything we did spring-wise was probably at 70-75 percent installation as we went back and studied it. So up to this point, there’s nothing new. That was kind of the means to the madness. Now, there’ll be a 25-30 percent learning curve from some other stuff as we move forward. But, I think the way we have the defense schemed it’s just base concepts. And as long as we can ‘This defense is the same as” except for one little thing, I think a lot of guys retain that.
Q: Are there a couple of names on the defensive line that stand out to you right now?
Chizik: I think Junior (Gnonkonde) has really come a long way in his technique. He hasn’t missed a snap, he’s been pressing hard every day and his effort has been great. I think he’s made a lot of improvement on the defensive line. That’s the first name that jumps out to me.
Q: When you look at last year’s film and break it down, what area needed the most work?
Chizik: You know, I don’t think you can look at last year’s and really compare, it’s just two different ideas totally. It’s not that one idea is right and one idea is wrong, they’re just different. So, it’s comparing apples and oranges. We have to look at what we’re doing every day to see where and if there are any deficiencies based on what we’re doing. Last year’s comparison is really kind of a non-factor.
Q: In the spring, you guys moved slowly with the new defense, the players called it “one term a day.” How much faster has it been this week?
Chizik: I think it’s been much faster. The recall has been really good. I think they did a lot of homework on their own over the summer, they did a lot of studying because I really feel like they want to be better and they want to be good. And, they took a lot of that upon themselves this summer, so I think it’s been quicker than I really expected the first four days.
Q: What’s the status at the weak side linebacker position between (Cayson) Collins and (Joe) Jackson?
Chizik: Right now, Joe Jackson came out of the spring as the starter, but we don’t inherit positions so we opened everything back up. We’ll go in with a leader but that doesn’t necessarily mean it stays that way. So, right now that’s where it is, but all positions are open.
Q: Have you found yourself and the new staff on defense having to coach confidence more than you have in previous years when defenses were coming off of better years?
Chizik: I don’t think so, we don’t really talk about that a lot. Confidence comes with preparation, (and) I think the guys feel like they’re being prepared, I think they’re doing their part in being prepared. So, I think confidence obviously comes with success as well. So, we’re starting all over, but like anything with life, if you’re confident you know what you’re doing then you’re confident you can execute it. I think that’s more of where they’re at right now, so we don’t need to talk about that.
Q: What signs do you look for that your guys are getting comfortable and getting it?
Chizik: Well, they’re having a lot of fun. This is a grind, but we’re still managing to have fun in the grind. They’ve worked extremely hard the first four days, I’m really proud of them. But, like I said, they’re execution and what whey retained from this spring has been really, really big. That tells me that they’ve bought into everything, they did their homework over the summer, they’re having fun doing what they’re doing because they’re understanding it better and they’re doing it and actually executing it better. We’ve obviously got a ways to go, but if you look at where we were four days into the spring versus where we are four days into the fall it’s night and day.
Q: How do you make sure the players don’t freak out with these new schemes with just a few weeks to go before the season?
Chizik: Everything we did spring-wise was probably at 70-75 percent installation as we went back and studied it. So up to this point, there’s nothing new. That was kind of the means to the madness. Now, there’ll be a 25-30 percent learning curve from some other stuff as we move forward. But, I think the way we have the defense schemed it’s just base concepts. And as long as we can ‘This defense is the same as” except for one little thing, I think a lot of guys retain that.
Q: Are there a couple of names on the defensive line that stand out to you right now?
Chizik: I think Junior (Gnonkonde) has really come a long way in his technique. He hasn’t missed a snap, he’s been pressing hard every day and his effort has been great. I think he’s made a lot of improvement on the defensive line. That’s the first name that jumps out to me.
Q: When you look at last year’s film and break it down, what area needed the most work?
Chizik: You know, I don’t think you can look at last year’s and really compare, it’s just two different ideas totally. It’s not that one idea is right and one idea is wrong, they’re just different. So, it’s comparing apples and oranges. We have to look at what we’re doing every day to see where and if there are any deficiencies based on what we’re doing. Last year’s comparison is really kind of a non-factor.
