Heels say defense strong, offense moving and improving in first scrimmage

CHAPEL HILL — A little of something new, a little of something old and plenty for Carolina to build on.

After the Tar Heels wrapped up their first scrimmage of training camp on Saturday morning, it seemed the defense was again the story in a week that the unit had taken control.

“The defense did a great job again,” left tackle Charlie Heck said. “They’ve come so far since the spring; they’ve got great playmakers on the D-line, it’s a challenge for the O-line every single day.”

The scrimmage, which was set for 10 a.m. at Kenan Stadium wasn’t terribly lengthy according to players. Still, the workout had a different vibe than anything else the Tar Heels have done in practice, delivering more of an authentic gameday feeling at Kenan Stadium.

As much as practice is meant to simulate game-speed, the Heels pushed it to another level on Saturday, with Phil Longo’s offense pushing tempo while Jay Bateman’s defense employed all manner of disguised coverages and pre-snap adjustments.

“Coach Bateman is really good at throwing different things at you and I feel like he just knows the perfect time to throw different things,” running back Antonio Williams said. “Today, we kind of saw that. It was challenging … it was good; it was good for the offense and I think we’re playing what could be the best defense in the ACC, in my opinion.”

The good reviews for the defense don’t necessarily mean the offense had a bad day, as their success sharpens the offense.

“They’re going to heat you up every single play,” Heck said. “They’re never just going to base you; they’re going to be moving guys, they’re going to be pinching guys, they’re going to be bringing blitzes so you’ve got to know your job inside and out, every single play.”

Both Heck and Williams felt like the Carolina attack was able to move the ball effectively and efficiently at times with several individuals making big plays.

Aaron Crawford pointed to the trio of running backs — Antonio Williams, Michael Carter and Javonte Williams — and how they’re utilized as a bright spot.

“They made some plays in space that I like to see,” he said. “Once they hit that edge, it’s hard to get them stopped. Getting those guys in space and making sure they’re in the best space to succeed, it’s a scary sight.”

The elder Williams offered praise to freshman receiver Emery Simmons, who beat what he called good coverage for a diving touchdown catch.

“He’s made a lot of big plays like that this offseason, so I’m excited for him,” Williams said.

Still, a few old concerns still seemed to linger for the Tar Heels’ offense.

Mack Brown mentioned cleaning up penalties earlier in the week as a priority, and on Saturday, Heck said the offense limited itself with mistakes.

“We did some good things,” Heck said. “We were moving the ball down the field but then we were getting in situations where we were hurting ourselves and we have to eliminate that.

“We’ve got to execute when it matters and we can’t get ourselves in a situation where we hurt ourselves and back up. When we’ve got them on their heels, that’s where we’ve got to finish the game.”

Williams is confident that the offense is making strides in that regard, but it’ll take continuing to show up with the same attitude every day to ensure some of those old habits are broken.

Lack of talent isn’t what’s holding Carolina back, or is it the big, explosive play.

Instead, it’s the tiny details like making sure they’re getting a perfect release off the line or ensuring they have their hands in the right spot when throwing blocks.

“Nothing truly concerned me,” Williams said. “I think we looked pretty good overall. Obviously, everywhere we can improve on, but overall, we did pretty well.”

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