Aug. 8 practice report: Montilus stepping up, Collins expects similar role at LB, culture changing

News and notes from Carolina's sixth training camp practice

After their first day off since the start of training camp, the Tar Heels went back to work fresh on Wednesday morning, completing their sixth practice on a scorching 90-degree morning.

“We got some rest, that was the main thing,” linebacker Chris Collins said. “You want to stay fresh and keep your body healthy during camp, so that was much-needed.”

Recovery was the focus back at the hotel, where players spent time in the pool getting in some aerobic work plus a little basketball.

Nice as the respite was, there’s nowhere Ed Montilus would rather be than the practice field.

“You have to make it fun,” he said. “I think football is fun, especially when we’re out here doing team. The only hard part is when you’re out in the sun … but you have to make it fun.”

Montilus, a 6-3, 315-pound redshirt freshman, has emerged as a possible starter at left guard for the Tar Heels — a spot where he’s leaning heavily on the experience of Charlie Heck to his left at tackle and Nick Polino at several spots to his right.

“I’m always listening to (Polino) whether it’s in the meeting room or on the field,” Montilus said. “He always knows adjustments and what to do. I just watch him … I ask him questions and always helps out. They’ve been really big. When times are tough and we’re out there in the hot sun… I see them working.”

Young as he might be, it’s clear Montilus is embracing the opportunity to eventually become a leader for the Tar Heels, following the example he observed from Heck and Polino last season while he redshirted.

Coaches have repeatedly urged the offensive line to be the toughest unit on the field and play with an edge.

Mack Brown indicated that the group did just that in Tuesday’s practice, but Montilus was disappointed with their consistency on Thursday.

“I felt like the defense really came out today with an edge,” he said. “We came off a good day, we had them in inside run, team we did pretty good. Defense came out real mad today; tomorrow, we’ve definitely got to step it up.”

Brown called Monday’s inside run drill the most physical he’s seen since he returned to Chapel Hill, with the advantage going to the defense, meaning it’s held the advantage for two of the past three practices.

“What we need to do is come out ready to go, not feeling bad yourself,” Montilus said. “Drill the drill and give it all you’ve got it in every drill. You can’t relax; like Coach says: when you’re going against a great player like (Jason) Strowbridge or Aaron Crawford or Tomon Fox, you relax for one second, you get embarrassed; you’ve got to come out ready to go.”

Collins moves outside

After appearing in six games as a true freshman defensive end last season, Chris Collins moves to outside linebacker as a part of Carolina’s shift to a 3-4 defense under defensive coordinator Jay Bateman.

Mostly, the position change is in name only.

“My role is to rush the passer, first,” Collins said. “Coach always tells us that, that’s always the first role.”

The adjustments are more subtle, as Collins will now work out of a two-point stance the majority of the time as opposed to the three-point stance he lined up in as a defensive end. He’ll also have more responsibility on Carolina’s side of the line, dropping into pass coverage more often and getting comfortable operating in space.

Now 25 pounds heavier than his freshman season, Collins says he hasn’t lost a step thanks to his work with strength coach Brian Hess, and feels even better about his ability to get to the quarterback, crediting outside linebackers coach Scott Boone.

“Just staying low,” he said. “It’s not about really quickness on the edge; it’s mainly about staying low, getting underneath the tackles. That’s what Coach Boone preaches to us outside linebackers.”

Quick hits

The Heels are getting plenty of mileage out of last year’s 2-9 finish.

After a couple of days in pads, bumps and bruises are piling up but there’s a simple response to anyone that might be feeling the grind of camp.

“Everybody is sore now, it’s day six,” Collins said. “But we remember last year, how it felt to be 2-9, so that’s the main vibe going in the locker room. We’re going to be hurting … but we’re going to keep working because we don’t want to be 2-9 again.”

During the portion of practice open to the media on Tuesday, wide receivers coach Lonnie Galloway was among the more vocal guys on the field.

That’s perfectly fine with receiver Roscoe Johnson.

“He wants you to bring it from the time we step on the field, it’s all business,” Johnson said. “Off the field, he’s going to love us up, but once we’re on the field, he wants us to bring it, no matter who we’re going against. So, the yelling, it’s all love; ain’t nothing wrong with it.”

Montilus says the culture change since Brown’s arrival is obvious. Several times he’s arrived for position meetings and found teammates already there, getting in extra work breaking down film.

“I would say it’s different,” he said. “Guys are trying to step up, guys are really trying to work on their craft…”