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North Carolina Tar Heels Spring Practice: Three Things We Learned
With North Carolina's spring practice in the books, here's what we know and what we learned about the Tar Heels as we head into summer drills.
April 11, 2017
With North Carolina’s spring practice in the books, here’s what we know and what we learned about the Tar Heels as we head into summer drills.
North Carolina won 19 games over the past two seasons, but the program could be staring at a reset entering 2017. The Tar Heels finished last year by losing their final three games versus FBS opponents, while squandering a chance to win the ACC Coastal Division. And now they must find replacements for a cadre of critical playmakers, none bigger than QB Mitch Trubisky.
UNC Spring Practice Redux
1. Brandon Harris Nears QB Job Without Suiting Up
Harris, the fifth-year LSU transfer, didn’t even play this spring, yet his odds of succeeding Trubisky improved because none of the holdovers stepped up and seized the job.
The four contenders, junior Manny Miles, sophomore Nathan Elliott and redshirt freshmen Chazz Surratt and Logan Boyd, were collectively just okay during the spring session. Surratt brings some dash on the ground, while Elliott has experience after serving as last year’s backup. But nothing eventful occurred to make Harris second-guess his choice of destinations. He had a checkered career in Baton Rouge, but the Carolina system is far more conducive to quarterback success than the one he operated when Les Miles and Cam Cameron were in charge of the Tigers.
2. WR Austin Proehl Assuming a Leadership Role
The Heels are basically starting over at the skill positions after losing last year’s top four rushers and three best receivers. Proehl is emerging as a senior leader who can help cushion the blow in the passing game.
Proehl delivered a solid spring, both in the traditional sense and as a veteran tone-setter in the locker room. The son of longtime NFL pass-catcher Ricky Proehl is a technically sound vet, with a chance to offset some of Ryan Switzer’s lost production. With Bug Howard or Mack Hollins on the outside for Carolina could be sophomore Juval Mollette. Like Howard and Hollins, the 6-4, 210-pound Mollette has a long and lean frame fit for red zone situations, and he flashed his potential for putting up points by catching three touchdown passes in the spring game.
3. DE Dajaun Drennon Feeling Sense of Urgency
It’s now or never for Drennon, and he played like it for much of the spring session.
Drennon was a starter for Carolina in 2014 and 2015, but an offseason foot injury prevented him from performing up to his potential in 2016. He missed seven games and registered just a single sack. However, the offseason has resulted in renewed health and optimism for the senior. In the spring game, Drennon collected three sacks, which ought to provide a nice confidence boost entering the summer. If he can light the spark up front in Chapel Hill, it’s going to hasten the development of up-and-comers, like Tomon Fox, Malik Carney and Jason Strowbridge.
