North Carolina coach Mack Brown still in search of a starting quarterback for opener
North Carolina’s Mack Brown isn’t ready to name his starting quarterback — not publicly, not yet.
There’s a sense that Brown, with all his coaching experience with QBs, has seen enough through spring practice and into fall camp to know who it will be. Max Johnson, Conner Harrell and Jacolby Criswell continue to compete, but Brown did say Sunday that Johnson and Harrell are doing it at the “highest level and Jacolby coming on.”
“All three of them are good enough, and that’s a good thing,” Brown said. “Now we have to figure out which one gives us the best chance to win.
“And you’ve got differences. Conner can throw and runs 4.4, but he hasn’t played very much. Max has thrown 900 passes in the SEC and played against very tough competition in a tough league and loud stadiums. And Jacolby is behind them simply because he wasn’t here for the spring.
“I’ve told them, ‘You’re on call every day, showing us who can lead and who can make a difference on this team.’”
The Tar Heels still have time to make a decision before going to Minnesota to begin the season Aug. 29. Brown continues to say it might be a week to 10 days before the opener before the starter is chosen.
Brown said Sunday that the defense “dominated” the scrimmage held Thursday in a driving rain. He talked about a paucity of explosive plays, although noting the offense did perform better in a limited scrimmage the next day.
The Tar Heels might have the best running back in the country in Omarion Hampton. The receivers are there, although there have been some minor injuries. Brown has liked the look, for the most part, of the rebuilt offensive line.
The line went the first week of practice without coach Randy Clements, who missed time after being hospitalized with an illness. Brown said Clements had a “stomach disorder that was really scary and really dangerous.”
Clements is back and good to go this season, Brown said, and the line has responded.
Brown said he has relied a lot on what he calls a “leadership committee” of older players to help guide the younger guys through the drills and the doldrums of August practice
“I’ve asked them to handle all the discipline within their units and make sure they call the guys out and help coach them on the field,” Brown said.
Brown notes that senior defensive end Kaimon Rucker recently came to the coach during a practice to say a certain defensive player should not be on the field and in the lineup. That, Brown said, was a first for him in coaching.
Brown said defensive line coach Ted Monachino was about to send in the player when Rucker approached.
“He said, ‘Nah, coach, he’s not doing what he’s supposed to do. Don’t put him in, we don’t trust him. He’s got to grow up,’” Brown said. “Then afterward, they all met with him and they all said. ‘You need to do these things, be on time, keep your mouth shut, start studying the playbook more and earn the right to get in.’
“I’ve never seen that. It was pretty cool.”
Brown did not name the player involved, but the message was delivered.
Brown wants to deliver one each day, taking a page out of the coaching book of the late Dean Smith, the legendary UNC hoops coach who had a “thought of the day” for practice.
Brown said Sunday’s was: “Go back and look at your last 24 hours”
“What did you do to prepare yourself for this practice?” Brown said. “Did you sleep, did you eat right? Did you get in bed when you’re supposed to? Did you put anything in your mouth that you’re not supposed to?
“You’ve got to show us you’ve earned the right to play.”
The “show me” part of practice continues. The depth chart, Brown said, will soon come together and the players have to continue to push.
“They’ve got to bring it every day,” he said. “That’s what we’ve talked to them about in this camp. And if you don’t, you’re average. Some can’t do that. It’s hard to bring your mind and your physicality every day, especially when you’re tired and you’ve had 10 or 11 days of practice and you’re worn out in this heat. ...
“If you’re going to be a great team, you’ve got to be a great team every day.”
