April 8, 2008

By Adam Lucas

Head coach Butch Davis identified the most pressing defensive needs as replacing the unit's three biggest defensive playmakers: seniors Kentwan Balmer, Durell Mapp, and Hilee Taylor.

The spring scrimmage showed some promise at Mapp's position, as Quan Sturdivant filled the WILL role and made three tackles. The Tar Heels are likely to use a committee of defensive tackles--a position of strength on the roster, including Marvin Austin, Tydreke Powell (who had a pair of sacks and a game-high six tackles), and Cam Thomas--and Taylor's end spot could be a spot of significant training camp competition.

Davis is so eager to find playmakers at end that the coaching staff made the decision last Thursday to move former tight end Vince Jacobs to end. Initially, the swap was just on a trial basis, as Davis wanted to see Jacobs work in individual drills. But after the rising sophomore beat a couple of offensive linemen, it became a permanent switch.

It paid off in the spring scrimmage, as on one play Jacobs's speed enabled him to run down a tailback for a loss from the back side. He also combined with Powell for another tackle for loss and forced a Cam Sexton fumble.

"It builds my confidence to see some results," Jacobs said. "I'm excited about the switch, and I know that Coach Blake, one of the best d-line coaches in the country, will have me ready for training camp."

Jacobs is currently listed at 235 and hopes to add 20 pounds of bulk in the offseason...

Greg Little continued to look like a natural tailback and was rarely brought down by the first tackler. On the one occasion that he was, a helmet-shaking hit from cornerback Kendric Burney, Burney let him know about it.

"I usually don't hit up top," Burney said. "But I was on the mad side already because the offense was having some success and the scrimmage wasn't going the way we wanted it to. The defense needed a big play and that pumped us up a little bit."...

The offense was handing out some punishment, too. Ryan Houston flattened Jordan Hemby in the open field on a play that you could see developing for several yards. Houston, who says he currently weighs 243, simply bulldozed the much lighter Hemby. Earlier, Houston had shown impressive lightness on his feet when he used a perfect spin move to free himself for an 18-yard gain.

"I'm still not the Ryan Houston I really want to be," he said. "I want to get quicker and faster, but I'm not going to lose so much weight that I lose my power. I also want to get my reads better. I'm quick enough to play at this level but I want to get my vision better. I want to get to the point that when I'm sleeping I see the playbook in my head."...

It's always good to use up all the silly penalties in the spring, and Brandon Tate drew a 15-yard celebration flag for high-stepping into the end zone. Tate will shatter the NCAA's career kickoff yardage record this fall...In the competition to replace Connor Barth, Jay Wooten drilled a 35-yard field goal with plenty of room to spare...The spring game didn't mark the end of spring practice. Instead, as is his custom, Butch Davis reserved one practice to use after the coaches have reviewed the scrimmage film. That session will be devoted to correcting scrimmage mistakes and explaining offseason expectations.

Adam Lucas is the publisher of Tar Heel Monthly. He is also the author or co-author of four books on Carolina basketball.