With Spring Practice getting underway this week for the UNC football team, a sense of extra motivation can be felt throughout Kenan Stadium as the Tar Heels look to put last season’s dismal 3-9 campaign in the rearview mirror.

Head coach Larry Fedora told reporters after practice on Thursday that last season left a bad taste in the team’s mouths that won’t soon go away.

Not until the Tar Heels are able to face off against another live opponent come September does the coach truly feel he can do anything to change that.

For now, though, Fedora’s focus lies on getting new players acclimated to the system and making sure his returning players are filling leftover leadership voids.

The Tar Heels are motivated this spring to put in the work necessary to avoid another 3-9 season in 2018. (Photo via Avery Trendel)

Rising senior defensive end Malik Carney was one of the names who had high expectations placed on him Thursday, when Fedora said he wants at least 10 sacks from the Virginia native—a number just one shy of his career total.

As the offense continues to go through a massive rebuilding process, Carney and the defense will once again be expected to carry a big load.

This time, though, the man they call “Scoop” hopes to take what happened in 2017 and turn it into a positive for the team moving forward.

“We try not to dwell on the past, but we also use it as a learning experience,” Carney said. “We use it to motivate us, and also in getting everybody to learn the schemes so we can ball out.”

Another notable decision by Fedora and his staff that represents a change from the past revolves around the Tar Heels’ annual spring game.

Rather than host an open game for fans to come out and see the team’s progress, there will instead be an extra closed team scrimmage.

With numerous areas to evaluate before training camp opens in August, Fedora chose to avoid showing off an unfinished product to the public.

Instead, he’ll have plenty of chances to tweak things to his liking before games start counting and the pressure really heats up.

“We needed as many reps as possible,” Fedora said. “In a spring game, you don’t get that. And so we’ll use and utilize that opportunity to get more reps—because we need them.”

 

 

Cover photo via Avery Trendel

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