Chansky's Notebook: 'Old Head' Rolland

Carolina has an older, but not a deeper, offensive line.

Three graduate students, two seniors and a junior protect that precious commodity named Drake Maye, who has been sacked 14 times this season, including five at Miami last week, but thrown only three interceptions.

One of them, right tackle Spencer Rolland, transferred from Harvard with an aeronautics degree and is now in the Kenan-Flagler business school playing his fifth season of college football, thanks to COVID rules.

He stayed in Boston to graduate last spring and showed up this summer in time for training camp, where he learned the system quickly enough to become a starter alongside senior William Barnes, grad transfer (from Miami) Corey Gaynor, graduate Ed Montilus and senior Asim Richards.

But there is little experienced depth besides graduate Brian Anderson and junior Jonathan Adorno, who played most of the Miami game after Barnes had to come out. More quality back-ups are needed for the second half of the season. “We need more guys to step up on the offensive line,” said Mack Brown, and of course keep the starters healthy for the rest of 2022.

The 6-6, 310-pound Rolland has been key in picking up the offense, and he’s become a leader on the team. Brown and O-line coach Jack Bicknell thought Rolland could learn the system but still had to get used to protecting against the “speed rushers” in Power 5 football.

“Being an old head in the offense line group, I bring a lot of knowledge,” Rolland said. “I’m teaching the young guys and encouraging a lot of the guys that have some experience. And I think just through that, you build chemistry right away, practicing every single day, coming to meetings.”

Rolland played in three Harvard-Yale games (one at Fenway Park) in front of bigger-than-usual Ivy League crowds but nothing like full football stadiums he sees every week this season. He doesn’t know much about the Duke-Carolina rivalry except what he’s been told, “We’ve got to keep the Victory Bell.”

He comes from Minnesota and also played basketball at the same high school as former Duke stars Tyus and Trey Jones and Gary Trent, Jr. He is busy preparing for the gridiron Blue Devils, who are third in the ACC and 15th nationally in turnover margin.

So the Harvard graduate and his mates have to keep Maye safe in the pocket and from fumbling or throwing any more picks.

Featured image via Inside Carolina

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Chansky’s Notebook: ‘Old Head’ Rolland

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