North Carolina continues to sort out its depth chart, but at this point in training camp, the team has an idea of what it wants to be schematically. Bill Belichick said on Wednesday that the basic install is complete for the upcoming season. “Up to this point, there’s been a lot of learning, a lot of multiple groups where guys are in there with different people, so the timing is not always exactly right,” Belichick said on Wednesday.
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — North Carolina continues to sort out its depth chart, but at this point in training camp, the team has an idea of what it wants to be schematically.
Bill Belichick said on Wednesday that the basic install is complete for the upcoming season. Some situational plays will be added on later, but the primary playbook for all three phases is in place.
“Up to this point, there’s been a lot of learning, a lot of multiple groups where guys are in there with different people, so the timing is not always exactly right,” Belichick said on Wednesday. “Other than some situations, our core stuff is in everything for offense, defense and special teams. Now, we can get more consistent work on it, and a more consistent valuation of players that are improving, players that are leveling off, and maybe players that are not improving at the same rate as other guys are — so in other words, declining.”
Wednesday was UNC’s second day of full pads this training camp. Belichick said the team wouldn’t suit up in full pads on Thursday and focus more on the passing game, as it will for other designated days in which the team doesn’t go to full pads.
Belichick spoke both last week and this week about the difference that fully-padded practices make in the evaluation process, particularly in the trenches and in the run game.
Belichick said he based the installation schedule on the team’s ability to wear pads, saying that it’s easier to build the passing offense without pads because plays can run without contact. With the run game, the ability to rep plays with pads, Belichick said, allows players to build upon their fundamentals as well.
“When we won’t be in full pads, there’ll be more emphasis on the passing game, third down, passing red area, passing two-minute drills, things like that,” Belichick said. “So we try a little bit, based on what we’re wearing, emphasizing what we get the most out of.
“So as far as the plays go, I think when you want to try to go full speed, that’s not the day that you want to put in a lot of new plays. You want to have those in so everybody knows what to do, and then you see if they go out there and do them. And so that’s kind of where we are now. Back in the day when we had pads on every day, that wasn’t a consideration. You just practiced. Now you kind of have to, I would say, gauge your practices based on what drills you are actually able to do.”
North Carolina is 18 days away from kicking off the season on Labor Day night against TCU in Kenan Stadium. The Tar Heels will play in front of a sold-out audience with the rest of the college football world watching as well, as UNC and TCU will be the only teams playing that day.
The ongoing positional battles for each group on the depth chart continue as North Carolina constructs the on-field outlook of its new-look team. Belichick said a heightened level of evaluation is coming in the “next 10 practices.”
“Really impressed with the way the players are working,” Belichick said. “They’re in good shape, they’re working hard. We’re slowly but surely bringing things together day by day. Definitely not there yet, but getting closer.”
Category: General Sports
