Khmori House Shares Thoughts on UNC Defense Before Stanford

North Carolina linebacker Khmori House talked to the media on Tuesday to discuss the defense's improvements ahead of the Tar Heels' matchup with Stanford this Saturday on Homecoming weekend.

The video of his presser is down below along with a partial transcript.

The improvement of the defensive backfield…

Oct 25, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels defensive back Jaiden Patterson (18) breaks up a pass in the end zone intended for Virginia Cavaliers wide receiver Jahmal Edrine (7) in overtime at Kenan Stadium. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Man, those guys stepped up to the plate. Man, they've been working every day, you know, just just coming to work, you know, understanding that we're down one and next guy up. So they've been balling out as a collective, the whole group, and they've all been improving, and we've all been improving, and they've been showing we've us as a team, been showing it on the field.

What are some of the traits from a player’s perspective that stand out to you about Steve Belichick’s coaching style?

UNC — North Carolina defensive coordinator Steve Belichick | Jackson McCurdy, North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

He allows us to, you know, play football and gives us the tools and tells us what worked, what doesn't work, what we should do here, what we shouldn't do here. So just a great all around defensive coordinator.

You know, at the end of the day, we all come to come together as a collective unit, and it's all about want to, you know what I'm saying? If we want to be great, we can be great. So yeah, coach, Steve's been doing great, and you know, we trust in him what he calls and we're gonna try to execute it to our best ability.

On the schematic adjustments on defense…

Oct 31, 2025; Syracuse, New York, USA; Syracuse Orange quarterback Joseph Filardi (13) loses a fumble on a tackle by North Carolina Tar Heels defensive lineman Melkart Abou Jaoude (9) in the fourth quarter at the JMA Wireless Dome. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

I would say that we've been honing in on the little, the small things, and being able to do, play the basic calls the right way, and just, just starting small and being able to execute, you know, because if you can't execute the little things, you're not going to be able to go to the big things and open it up how you really want to.

So just being able to execute the little things, honing our fundamentals, and just becoming better within the defense. I feel like we're getting better because it was early on in the season, and as you progress and as you keep working, it's only right that you're going to get better. So it's just, it's just a credit to our work, for sure.

Where are some areas going to be in your game, or just physically that you see yourself?

UNC — Khmori House | Jackson McCurdy, North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

I would say just, you know, the ins and outs of our defense. I'm getting better at understanding where everybody else is at on the field and which helps me play faster physically. I feel like I've gotten stronger, gotten faster.

Yeah, on the football field, I'm just, I'm just honing in on the small things that I got to get better at, and just being able to work at it every day. And yeah, I've been feeling, I've been feeling like a way better player this year than I was last year, and I'm keep getting better going forward for sure.

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