https://northcarolina.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1796552
CHAPEL HILL - The Tar Heels are less than a week away from opening the 2015 campaign against South Carolina in Charlotte, and as the excitement builds for the players, staff and fan base, so does the prep for the nationally televised affair.
UNC opened at South Carolina in Columbia two years ago and struggled, falling 27-10 in a game that appeared more lopsided than the final score suggested. UNC got off to an awful start with a parade of miscues and could never catch up.
Head coach Larry Fedora has that experience versus Steve Spurrier, but new defensive coordinator Gene Chizik has more extensive history with Spurrier, which he says he can draw from. But only so much.
"It's helped," Chizik said when asked if that prior experience has aided in preparing for the Gamecocks. "Obviously, I have some prior experiences with coach Spurrier. (But) football is football. You watch them on film and whether you played somebody or not you're still studying film and the little nuances and tendencies you can get.
What's the best way to gauge improvement by UNC's defense?
"But it's certainly helpful to have some sort of background against these guys."
Chizik is 2-0 versus Spurrier in head-to-head matchups with both wins coming when he was the head man at Auburn. In 2010, Auburn beat the Gamecocks 35-27 at home, and the following season won 16-13 in Columbia.
In the 2010 game, Auburn limited the Gamecocks to respectable 384 total yards, including just 79 yards on 28 rushing attempts (2.8 per attempt). The Tigers also forced 4 turnovers that night.
In the game the following season, Auburn put together a game-winning scoring drive to defeat the then-10th ranked Gamecocks. The Tigers held South Carolina to 289 total yards and this time shut down the passing attack. The Gamecocks had some success versus Chizik's team through the air the year before but that afternoon in Columbia held Steven Garcia to 9-23 passing and 2 interceptions.
Overall, the Auburn defense forced 4 turnovers again, making it 8 in two games forced by Chizik's team versus Spurrier in the two games they've battled head-to-head as head coaches.
*Getting A Gauge?: Fedora has been asked several times what would qualify as real progress by the Tar Heels' defense this season compared to the wreck it was a year ago. And his responses really haven't wavered, even now a week before the actual season kicks off.
So, would he gauge the degree of turnaround by statistics or will it be an eye test thing or something else?
"To be better than we were," Fedora said. "To hold the opponent to one less point than we score on offense. Whatever it takes."
Care to be more specific, coach?
"It still comes down to scoring, that's the key to the whole thing," Fedora said. "So, obviously we have to be much better than we were in that avenue or we won't have a chance."
*Bugging To Get Better: In a way, it seems like Bug Howard has been at UNC longer than he really has. A true junior, Howard has been at UNC as long as Mitch Trubisky, as an example. But Howard, perhaps because his name is so easy to remember, seems more like a fourth or fifth-year veteran.
What's interesting, however, is that Howard, who caught 42 passes for 455 yards and two touchdowns a season ago, has developed quite a bit since last year's bowl game that he may play like a grizzled vet this fall. According to wide receivers coach Gunter Brewer, Howard has taken huge steps forward.
"Bug Howard's probably made the most progress from last year to this year," Brewer said this week. "(He) got a ton of reps this camp and really supplied a lot of leadership and did a nice job in our offseason program."
Carolina is loaded. When asked about the most improved player in the group, Brewer couldn't do so without eventually mentioning Quinshad Davis, Mack Hollins, Ryan Switzer, and even Austin Proehl. But fitting in there nicely into a niche, and perhaps more, is Howard.
*Don't Be Confused: There are some No. 3 UNC football jerseys that can be purchased around Chapel Hill and in some other stores. Ryan Switzer has star power for sure. He has more Twitter followers than anyone on the team with just above 15,000. But he's not the only starter for the Tar Heels that wears No. 3.
What if Sam Smiley, a senior safety and also a starter, has a huge first month to the season? Maybe more No. 3 jerseys than expected will sell and some true fans will wear the jersey to games with "Switzer & Smiley" on the back.
But Switzer and Smiley aren't the only Tar Heels that will see a lot of the field who share the same number.
Sophomore defensive tackle Nazair Jones has spent all month working with the 1s and 2s and Corbin Daly is the starting punter. Both wear No. 90.
Freeman Jones was a ballyhooed kicker when he arrived at UNC, though he hasn't claimed the starting placekicker spot yet. But he could eventually own the duties wearing the same number 98 as senior defensive tackle Justin Thomason.
Senior linebacker Jeff Schoettmer wears No. 10 but so does sophomore quarterback Mitch Trubusky, who won't start but he did attempt 78 passes a year ago and could see some regular time in certain games.
True freshman cornerback Mike Hughes will get on the field every week and maybe even play a lot at some point. Junior tailback Khris Francis has had a few moments as a Tar Heel and may still have a few more. Both wear No. 1.
Sophomore Cayson Collins nearly won one of the starting linebacker jobs, but he will serve as a backup who likely will see plenty of action. Also wearing No. 23 is Joey Mangili, the holder for extra points and field goals and also the backup punter.
In all, there are 50 players on the current roster sharing 25 numbers with 18 of the numbers 48 and below. None of them can be one of the 11 players on the field at the same time, though. That would be a violation and draw a flag against the Tar Heels.
CHAPEL HILL - The Tar Heels are less than a week away from opening the 2015 campaign against South Carolina in Charlotte, and as the excitement builds for the players, staff and fan base, so does the prep for the nationally televised affair.
UNC opened at South Carolina in Columbia two years ago and struggled, falling 27-10 in a game that appeared more lopsided than the final score suggested. UNC got off to an awful start with a parade of miscues and could never catch up.
Head coach Larry Fedora has that experience versus Steve Spurrier, but new defensive coordinator Gene Chizik has more extensive history with Spurrier, which he says he can draw from. But only so much.
"It's helped," Chizik said when asked if that prior experience has aided in preparing for the Gamecocks. "Obviously, I have some prior experiences with coach Spurrier. (But) football is football. You watch them on film and whether you played somebody or not you're still studying film and the little nuances and tendencies you can get.
What's the best way to gauge improvement by UNC's defense?
"But it's certainly helpful to have some sort of background against these guys."
Chizik is 2-0 versus Spurrier in head-to-head matchups with both wins coming when he was the head man at Auburn. In 2010, Auburn beat the Gamecocks 35-27 at home, and the following season won 16-13 in Columbia.
In the 2010 game, Auburn limited the Gamecocks to respectable 384 total yards, including just 79 yards on 28 rushing attempts (2.8 per attempt). The Tigers also forced 4 turnovers that night.
In the game the following season, Auburn put together a game-winning scoring drive to defeat the then-10th ranked Gamecocks. The Tigers held South Carolina to 289 total yards and this time shut down the passing attack. The Gamecocks had some success versus Chizik's team through the air the year before but that afternoon in Columbia held Steven Garcia to 9-23 passing and 2 interceptions.
Overall, the Auburn defense forced 4 turnovers again, making it 8 in two games forced by Chizik's team versus Spurrier in the two games they've battled head-to-head as head coaches.
*Getting A Gauge?: Fedora has been asked several times what would qualify as real progress by the Tar Heels' defense this season compared to the wreck it was a year ago. And his responses really haven't wavered, even now a week before the actual season kicks off.
So, would he gauge the degree of turnaround by statistics or will it be an eye test thing or something else?
"To be better than we were," Fedora said. "To hold the opponent to one less point than we score on offense. Whatever it takes."
Care to be more specific, coach?
"It still comes down to scoring, that's the key to the whole thing," Fedora said. "So, obviously we have to be much better than we were in that avenue or we won't have a chance."
*Bugging To Get Better: In a way, it seems like Bug Howard has been at UNC longer than he really has. A true junior, Howard has been at UNC as long as Mitch Trubisky, as an example. But Howard, perhaps because his name is so easy to remember, seems more like a fourth or fifth-year veteran.
What's interesting, however, is that Howard, who caught 42 passes for 455 yards and two touchdowns a season ago, has developed quite a bit since last year's bowl game that he may play like a grizzled vet this fall. According to wide receivers coach Gunter Brewer, Howard has taken huge steps forward.
"Bug Howard's probably made the most progress from last year to this year," Brewer said this week. "(He) got a ton of reps this camp and really supplied a lot of leadership and did a nice job in our offseason program."
Carolina is loaded. When asked about the most improved player in the group, Brewer couldn't do so without eventually mentioning Quinshad Davis, Mack Hollins, Ryan Switzer, and even Austin Proehl. But fitting in there nicely into a niche, and perhaps more, is Howard.
*Don't Be Confused: There are some No. 3 UNC football jerseys that can be purchased around Chapel Hill and in some other stores. Ryan Switzer has star power for sure. He has more Twitter followers than anyone on the team with just above 15,000. But he's not the only starter for the Tar Heels that wears No. 3.
What if Sam Smiley, a senior safety and also a starter, has a huge first month to the season? Maybe more No. 3 jerseys than expected will sell and some true fans will wear the jersey to games with "Switzer & Smiley" on the back.
But Switzer and Smiley aren't the only Tar Heels that will see a lot of the field who share the same number.
Sophomore defensive tackle Nazair Jones has spent all month working with the 1s and 2s and Corbin Daly is the starting punter. Both wear No. 90.
Freeman Jones was a ballyhooed kicker when he arrived at UNC, though he hasn't claimed the starting placekicker spot yet. But he could eventually own the duties wearing the same number 98 as senior defensive tackle Justin Thomason.
Senior linebacker Jeff Schoettmer wears No. 10 but so does sophomore quarterback Mitch Trubusky, who won't start but he did attempt 78 passes a year ago and could see some regular time in certain games.
True freshman cornerback Mike Hughes will get on the field every week and maybe even play a lot at some point. Junior tailback Khris Francis has had a few moments as a Tar Heel and may still have a few more. Both wear No. 1.
Sophomore Cayson Collins nearly won one of the starting linebacker jobs, but he will serve as a backup who likely will see plenty of action. Also wearing No. 23 is Joey Mangili, the holder for extra points and field goals and also the backup punter.
In all, there are 50 players on the current roster sharing 25 numbers with 18 of the numbers 48 and below. None of them can be one of the 11 players on the field at the same time, though. That would be a violation and draw a flag against the Tar Heels.
