'We are fired up:' Notes from UNC football's 2024 Spring Game

If there’s a song that represents the UNC football team’s spring energy, it’s “Faneto” by Chief Keef. 

Despite losing key figures like quarterback Drake Maye, wide receiver Devontez “Tez” Walker and linebacker Cedric Gray, the Tar Heels are determined to prove they are still contenders this upcoming season. 

“That song right there is us because we are fired up every day ready to go get it and we ain’t holding back nothing,” senior defensive lineman Jahvaree Ritzie said. “I say that’s the vibe of the defense, and the offense and just the locker room period.”

The UNC football team held its annual Spring Game on Saturday afternoon, which displayed changes since its last showing in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl in December.  Navigating a battle for the starting quarterback role, showcasing a young wide receiver room and a completely altered defense, the Tar Heels used the spring season to take a relatively new team and make it an experienced one. 

Harrell and Johnson continue to battle for QB1

When programs enter heated quarterback battles, there are a few valuable traits that push a player into the QB1 position. Typically, experience is chief among them. 

Luckily for graduate quarterback Max Johnson — who played for four years at SEC powerhouses LSU and Texas A&M — he has a lot of experience. 

But what about familiarity? 

While sophomore quarterback Conner Harrell might not boast as many snaps, the young play caller already has two years at North Carolina under his belt. As Johnson dedicated himself to learning the playbook and new signals that characterize coordinator Chip Lindsey’s offense, the spring season became a test of how far Harrell could go under a system he already mastered. 

“It switches from [learning] to being able to go to the next level,” Harrell said. “I feel like I don’t have to learn as much. I already have that stuff down so I can move onto other stuff like reading defenses.” 

And if Saturday provided any proof, Harrell elevated himself to the next level. 

While Johnson struggled to find a rhythm, the sophomore quarterback found success early. On just his third play of the game, Harrell threw a 68-yard touchdown to first-year wide receiver Javarius Green. 

By the time Harrell’s second series rolled around, the quarterback found senior wide receiver Nate McCollum on the first play to notch a 65-yard touchdown. In total, Harrell recorded 161 yards and three touchdowns on the afternoon. 

In comparison, Johnson logged 80 yards and collected one touchdown. After arriving at UNC in December, the veteran said he's still acclimating to UNC. 

“I had to learn a whole new system, be around new guys [and] learn names,” Johnson said. 

However, Harrell is relying on his familiarity in Carolina Blue to push himself further in the neck-and-neck quarterback battle. 

“When you’ve run the play so many times, it’s like you know exactly where you wanna go with the ball,” Harrell said. 

Young wideouts, backs show out

On Saturday, a slew of injuries and other extenuating circumstances kept primary pass-catchers like J.J. Jones, Gavin Blackwell, Chris Culliver, John Copenhaver, Bryson Nesbit and Kobe Paysour on the sidelines. The flip side? Younger players in the running back and wide receiver rooms took the big stage and showed out. 

First-year wideouts Jordan Shipp, Alex Taylor and Green worked to show their impact on UNC’s passing game. It didn’t take long.

In the first possession, Green outran both a defensive back and the strong safety to collect Harrell’s 68-yard deep ball. Taylor made an impressive catch two possessions later after adjusting to Johnson’s back-shoulder throw, hauling in a pass despite defensive pass interference. 

Yet it was Shipp who reeled in the most catches on the day, finishing his performance off with a touchdown reception — a lofted pass to the end zone that Shipp snagged in man coverage. 

“I think it’s great that they have been able to get reps and that they have completely stepped into the role,” Harrell said. “They’ve been doing an awesome job.” 

New numbers also lined up in the backfield with star running back Omarion Hampton sitting during the full contact periods of the scrimmage. This allowed first-year Davion Gause, graduate transfer Darwin Barlow and sophomore Major Byrd to evenly split rushing attempts. 

Although Barlow stood out as the only running back to find the end zone, strong runs from Byrd and Gause rounded out the trio. Byrd boasted an impressive cutback after he put his foot in the ground to glide past a would-be tackler.

But the most valuable trait of the three established itself in Gause’s experience in pass protection. Nicknamed “Bullet” for his physicality, Gause offers a rare skill for his age. 

“Being able to know where blitzes are coming from, that’s the hardest thing for a freshman,” Harrell said. “He’s been picking it up like nothing, so it's super impressive.” 

UNC defense flying to the ball

Dressed in the all-white away uniforms, the new-look Tar Heel defense showed off a plethora of changes from last year's unit. The installment of Geoff Collins as defensive coordinator not only brings a surge of energy to the group but also implements more aggressive playcalling with disguised looks thrown into the mix. 

Throughout Saturday’s scrimmage, this ball-hawk-style defense could be seen flying to the ball on several occasions. The first team squad led by Ritzie and senior defensive back Alijah Huzzie caused continual problems for the offensive line — ultimately recording a pick-six, several TFLs against the rush and a handful of simulated sacks.

“That’s just been one of the big emphases this year, is go attack,” Ritzie said. “Don’t hold back, go attack, get to the ball.”

Collins also installed a few disguised looks to make his disruptive defense even harder for offenses to deal with. According to senior linebacker Power Echols, the transition to this defensive scheme has been seamless thanks to the close-knit relationships of the group. 

Since communication is vital to pulling off the false front, Echols explained how much easier it has been implementing the defense when each player communicates on a personal level — one he described as brother to brother. 

And with the defense on the same page, it adds another wrinkle in pass protection for offensive coordinators. From the perspective of Harrell and Johnson, who have seen the disguises all spring, it becomes a cat-and-mouse game to figure out where the blitz is coming from and find a predictive counter for it. 

“Collins wants you to set your protection up this way just to bring somebody else from [that] way,” Johnson said. “So you’re throwing hot, and I think he’s done a really good job of that.”

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