Spring Practice Preview
Spring practice for the 2017 Heels officially starts next Tuesday at Navy Field at 4 PM. The Heels have many key positions that need to be filled and spring practice could be extremely important in determining who fills those needs. This will also be the first college practices for nine early enrollees and also a chance for walk-on hopefuls to earn a spot. Here's a look at what to expect in spring practice.
Schedule
Feb. 28 4 PM
Mar. 2 4 PM
Mar. 7 4 PM
Mar. 9 4 PM
Mar. 21 4 PM
Mar. 23 4 PM
Mar. 25 TBA
Mar. 28 4 PM
Mar. 30 4 PM
Apr. 1 TBA
Apr. 4 4 PM
Apr. 6 4 PM
Apr. 7 4 PM
Top Five Stroylines Heading Into Spring
5. Who Becomes the New Leaders?
The Heels lost a lot of experience, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Spring practice will be the first chance for new leaders to step up. Guys like Austin Proehl, M.J. Stewart and Bentley Spain will have to be more vocal. Keep an eye on some of the young guys to become leaders, such as Jordon Brown, Myles Dorn and Tommy Hatton.
4. Who Becomes the No. 2 Option in the Passing Game?
With all that has departed in the receiving corps, someone has to step up and become the number two option behind Austin Proehl. Maybe Jordan Cunningham shows he can live up to expectations. Maybe Thomas Jackson become the next walk-on to contribute heavily. Or maybe Rontavius “Toe” Groves builds on what he showed last year in spring and summer practices. Can't forget about the TE group that could produce a surprise contributor. Which will it be?
3. The Next Starting Quarterback Is…
Mitch Trubisky is going to be with an NFL franchise when next year starts so the Heels need a new starter. Malik Zaire’s decision won't come till mid-April, so this give the current quarterbacks on the roster a shot to prove themselves. Nathan Elliott, Chazz Surratt and Logan Byrd will all being laying it out on the line, hoping to impress coaches enough to give them an edge if Zaire comes to Chapel Hill.
2. Can the Heels Fix Their Offensive Woes?
At the end of last season the Heels offense was awful. The running game in particular struggled, but will have new faces this year. The offensive line must show massive improvement over what we saw late last season. Losing three starters there won't help though. Neither will have a new quarterback or just one proven receiver. This offense will have to grow up and mesh quickly.
1. How Will the Defense Adjust to Multiple Staff Changes?
The Heels lost four assistants so far this offseason, three of which came from the defensive staff. Defensive backs coach Charlton Warren left for Tennessee, defensive line Trey Scott left for Ole Miss and defensive coordinator Gene Chizik stepped away from football again. Now, a unit that was poised to take a step forward must adjust to new coaches on the staff. Defensive line coach Deke Adams was a part of Larry’s staff early in his time in Chapel Hill before he left for East Carolina. Terry Joseph comes over from Texas A&M as the defensive back coach and has a solid track record. John Papuchis was promoted to defensive coordinator, a spot he held in Nebraska and had some success in. The changes aren't crippling, but it’ll be interesting to see if the players can adjust and
Battles to Watch For
QB: This will be the battle everyone is concerned about with Mitch Trubisky heading to the NFL. With Malik Zaire’s decision still being weeks away, the Heels have to prepare as if the current quarterback options are the only ones. Nathan Elliott and Chazz Surratt enter as the favorites, but Logan Byrd will have something to say as well. This is a battle that won't be decided in the spring.
RB: The top four rushers from a year ago are gone, meaning someone has to step up into a big role. The starting gig is up for grabs and no one really seems to have an edge. Jordon Brown is the only player with a college carry, but true freshman Michael Carter and walk-on’s Jacob Schmidt and Darius Graves will use spring camp to show what they've got.
No. 2 WR: The Heels also lost their top three receivers from a year ago, leaving Austin Proehl as the only proven receiving option. The Heels will hope spring practice allows someone to emerge as the number two options. Thomas Jackson has a solid year this past season, actually hauling in more touchdowns than Proehl. Jordan Cunningham is one who is expected to take a big step, as is Anthony Ratliff-Williams. Keep an eye on players like Toe Groves and Beau Corrales to have an impact too.
O-Line vs. D-Line: This is a crucial battle that a fan hopes goes well for both sides. The offensive line was abysmal late in the season and need to begin making progress as a unit. Defensively, the line needs to get accustomed to new line coach Deke Adams quickly and provide more of a pass rush. The drill that will tell the most will be the pass protection drill. What one would hope to see is good signs from both sides throughout the drill, particularly at the guard positions on the offensive line.
No. 2 CB: With Des Lawrence gone, M.J. Stewart is now looking for a new partner in crime. Last year, none of the options really stepped forward, so spring practice could be key to help pushing someone in front. Patrice Rene and Corey Bell Jr. are the favorites, considering they saw the most time last season. Don't count out guys like Myles Wolfork, an early enrollee from a season ago, or Tre' Shaw, and early enrollee this year.
Players Who I Would Like to See Step Up
Nathan Elliott: He is the most experienced quarterback on the roster and the Heels need him to have a strong spring. If he can emerge, that would ease the concerns that the Heels have at quarterback.
Jordon Brown: Experience is once again the key and the Heels need Brown to emerge as the leader of this extremely young group. A strong spring from Brown could help to shine a light on a running back spot that is currently seeing dark times.
Juval Mollette: With the Heels losing Mack Hollins and Bug Howard to graduation, the Heels must now find an outside threat with some size. Mollette has the size at 6’4” and has already been on campus for two full seasons. The Heels are hoping Mollette can finally step up and become a threat in the receiving game.
William Sweet: Sweet filled in last year after the injury to Jon Heck and now will be counted on to take over that role full time. Sweet had trouble in pass protection and will need to take steps in the right direction in spring for an offensive line that is rebuilding.
Marlon Dunlap: Naz Jones decided to turn pro instead of returning for his senior season. Now the Heels need to find his replacement; Dunlap has the size and showed enough flashes to be that guy. If Dunlap can have a strong spring, he could be the gap stuffer the Heels have been looking for for a while.
Patrice Rene: Rene started early last year, but was surpassed by Corey Bell Jr. as the season went on. Now, with the No. 2 cornerback spot still up for grabs, Rene needs to prove that the coaches were right for starting him at times last year. A good spring could get him close to being a starter once again.
Freeman Jones: With Nick Weiler gone the Heels are in need of a kicker. Jones has shown in warm ups that he has a strong leg. Accuracy is the concern and spring practice could go a long way for Jones. This could also give him an advantage over true freshman Noah Ruggles who won't arrive till fall.
Projected Depth Chart Headed Into Spring Camp*
QB: #11 Nathan Elliott Jr.
#12 Chazz Surratt RS Fr.
#14 Logan Byrd RS Fr.
#16 Manny Miles So.
RB: # 2 Jordon Brown So.
Michael Carter Fr.
#32 Jacob Schmidt Jr.
#27 Darius Graves Jr.
#33 Antonio James Jr.
WR: # 7 Austin Proehl Sr.
#17 Anthony Ratliff-Williams So.
# 9 Roscoe Johnson RS Fr.
#28 Dante DiMaggio Jr.
WR: #15 Jordan Cunningham Sr.
# 5 Juval Mollette So.
#18 Josh Cabrera Jr.
#21 Devin Perry Jr.
SL: #48 Thomas Jackson Sr.
# 4 Rontavius “Toe” Groves RS Fr.
J.T. Cauthen Fr.
#81 Hunter Smith Jr.
TE: #82 Brandon Fritts Jr.
#86 Carl Tucker So.
#80 Jake Bargas So.
#83 Garrett Walston RS Fr.
#87 Noah Turner RS Fr.
LT: #51 William Sweet So.
#55 Jay-Jay McCargo RS Fr.
LG: #58 Nick Polino So.
#72 Mason Veal So.
Quiron Johnson Fr.
C: #52 Tommy Hatton So.
#69 Jonathan Trull Sr.
#78 Layton Barber RS Fr.
RG: #76 R.J. Prince Sr.
Jonah Melton Fr.
#57 Tyler Pritchett RS Fr.
RT: #75 Bentley Spain Sr.
#67 Charlie Heck So.
#79 Luke Elder RS Fr.
DE: #17 Dajaun Drennon Sr.
#95 Tyler Powell Sr.
Jake Lawler Fr.
#55 Jason Strowbridge So.
#96 Matt Gampe Jr.
#58 Josh Strickland Jr.
NT: #49 Jeremiah Clarke Jr.
#94 Marlon Dunlap So.
Jordon Riley Fr.
DT: #92 Aaron Crawford So.
#97 Jalen Dalton Jr.
#93 Robert Dinkins Jr.
Xach Gill Fr.
DE: #53 Malik Carney Jr.
#12 Tomon Fox So.
#33 Allen Cater So.
#91 Nolan DeFranco RS Fr.
#98 Connor Barringer Sr.
SLB: #23 Cayson Collins Sr.
#20 Dominique Ross So.
#30 Hunter Crafford Sr.
#57 Marlon Petty Sr.
MLB: #10 Andre Smith Jr.
#25 Ayden Bonilla Jr.
# 7 Jonathan Smith So.
WLB: #36 Cole Holcomb Jr.
#42 Tyrone Hopper RS Fr.
#54 Johnathan Sutton So.
#44 Sam Blobe Jr.
CB: # 6 M.J. Stewart Sr.
# 9 K.J. Sails So.
#11 Myles Wolfork RS Fr.
Tre’ Shaw Fr.
#24 Zach Goins Jr.
#48 Robert James Jr.
CB: # 5 Patrice Rene So.
#18 Corey Bell Jr. Jr.
#20 Thomas Brown Jr.
#28 Simeon Gatling RS Fr.
#13 Jesse Cuccia Jr.
FS: #21 Myles Dorn So.
# 8 Greg Ross RS Fr.
#29 J.K. Britt Jr.
#35 Chris Ripberger Sr.
SS: #15 Donnie Miles Sr.
#16 D.J. Ford So.
#27 Jaye Stackhouse So.
K: #98 Freeman Jones Jr.
#95 Tolson Jeffery Jr.
#90 Connor Albrecht Jr.
P: #39 Tom Sheldon So.
#91 Hunter Lent Jr.
LS: #41 Kyle Murphy (K) Sr.
#61 Tommy Bancroft (P) Jr.
KR: #17 Anthony Ratliff-Williams So.
# 4 Rontavius “Toe” Groves RS Fr.
#21 Myles Dorn So.
PR: # 7 Austin Proehl Sr.
# 4 Rontavius “Toe” Groves RS Fr.
Michael Carter Fr.
*Does not include summer enrollees or suspended players
My Planned Trip
The plan right now is to head to Chapel Hill for the first day of practice and get an in person look at this years team. I hope to be able to interview some players and coaches after practice, as well. If Annie Hanson allows me to, I will be in Chapel Hill on February 28th.
