Heading into the offseason, improving consistency and depth across the offensive line was an emphasis for head coach Mack Brown and the North Carolina football team.
The unit struggled to protect quarterback Sam Howell at times last season, allowing 49 sacks — more than any other ACC team.
But after months of preparation under Jack Bicknell Jr. — the new offensive line coach after Stacy Searels left for Georgia — the group's improvement was on full display against a talented UNC defensive line in the team's #TyleeStrong spring game on Saturday.
The Tar Heels' physicality inside opened up the offense for the quarterbacks, who threw for 250 yards on 22 completions.
“Coach Bicknell has done a great job,” redshirt first-year quarterback Drake Maye said. “We’ve changed some things up front. Throughout practice and the spring game, you can see we’ve got some more depth in the pocket and just less problems with communication.”
After bringing back all five starters on the line in 2021 and failing to live up to lofty expectations, a new coaching voice and a renewed sense of aggression and urgency have helped the Tar Heels mitigate the loss of three starters heading into 2022.
Throughout the game, the North Carolina offensive linemen only allowed four sacks, two of which came on back-to-back plays from junior defensive end Desmond Evans.
Junior defensive lineman Myles Murphy — who many view as a prime candidate for a big 2022 season — has seen the changes firsthand. As someone who competes against the improved unit each practice, he said he's been impressed with the camaraderie the players have with their new coach.
“Coach (Bicknell), he’s a nice person,” Murphy said. “I can tell they bond with him a lot and they trust him, so when he calls something, they have passion with it.”
