New coordinator Geoff Collins challenges defense to be more aggressive in 2024

When new UNC football defensive coordinator Geoff Collins first met with North Carolina's defense, he told the Tar Heels that he wanted them to become the best defense in the country.

Last season, only four teams in the ACC allowed more points per game than North Carolina in 2023. And out of the 130 Football Bowl Subdivision schools, only 36 allowed more yards per game than the Tar Heels.

But senior linebacker Power Echols said he saw Collins’ vision after witnessing the energy the defense had in its first practice session.

Nicknamed the “Minister of Mayhem,” Collins wants to make UNC’s defense lethal, and to do that, he needs his players to wreak havoc. 

Graduate rush Kaimon Rucker said the coach is setting up everyone to be more aggressive. 

“We got a lot of dogs on defense,” Rucker said. “So, we can’t just be passive. We can’t just be like we gotta play in certain situations where we gotta not bring in simulated blitzes or we can’t do this, that and the third. I feel like, for him, he’s gonna put people in a situation to make plays.”

Causing turnovers wasn’t a strong suit of the Tar Heels last year. Of all ACC teams, they landed the 10th-most sacks, forced the ninth-most fumbles per game and caught the 12th-most interceptions per game.

Echols said there’s more of an emphasis than last year on forcing turnovers. Every day, the defense is working on everything from strip sacks and punching the ball out.

“Each and every practice, each and every day, we talk about how many turnovers we’ve caused,” Echols said.

Collins said tackling and pursuit of the ball can be improved every day. The coordinator called to mind two missed tackles on the last play of a scrimmage on Aug. 6 that he said would be part of the teach tape that night. 

It’s not to embarrass his guys, though — Collins said they know his staff cares, but the standard is high.

“When we point out how we missed a tackle and how we’re gonna fix it,” Collins said. “Those things are received well because they know the next time they do do it right, we’re gonna amplify that performance in front of everyone, as well.”

More simulated blitzes. More disguises. Although he is adding more tools to his unit’s arsenal, he isn’t out to make things more complex.

Collins said he grouped techniques into different “families,” laying down the foundations of his defense in his first three days. Rucker said the coordinator encouraged each player to learn positions that aren’t their own, which will streamline play calling.

Better communication under Collins will also feature over-communication. Graduate defensive back Alijah Huzzie said that assistant defensive coach Charlton Warren told the team during practice on July 31 to “make us tell y’all to be quiet.” Because of that, Huzzie said he thinks communication from the sidelines to the players will be faster this year.

But more than anything, Collins is using the preseason to help his players find their identity. He is pushing them as a unit to become a defense that needs to be dealt with. 

“He lets the players be the players,” Echols said. “He just let us be ourselves naturally and allowed us to be who we are on the field at all times, not holding us back in any type of way.”

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