With much of its offense moving on to the NFL, North Carolina has brought in reinforcements in the form of four graduate transfers.<\/p>\n
The offensive line, including the tight ends, was already the strongest part of the offense coming into 2017. But now they\u2019ve added Cam Dillard, who played at Florida and projects as the starting center. Also, Khaliel Rodgers, who started nine games during his injury-plagued career at Southern Cal, is competing for time at the guard position.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re both really good guys off the field and we\u2019re happy to have them,\u201d said senior tackle Bentley Spain, who added that the offensive linemen have already been bonding through non-football related activities including a pool party. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe good thing about our o-line is that we\u2019re not the kind of guys who are flashy and want glam,\u201d he said. \u201cAt the end of the day if you win the job, you win the job, if you don\u2019t, you don\u2019t. You can\u2019t be angry at someone personally who got something that you didn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n
Some players may also share time at positions, like tight ends Brandon Fritts, a junior, and Carl Tucker, a sophomore. Both did well last season and are likely to play bigger roles in the offense.<\/p>\n
The third graduate transfer, Stanton Truitt from Auburn, could see a lot of time at running back depending on the progress of sophomore Jordon Brown, the only returning runner, who had only 20 carries a year ago and the development of freshman Michael Carter, who was the 2016 USA Florida Offensive Player of the Year in high school.<\/p>\n
Truitt ran for 215 yards and scored three times for Auburn in two seasons there.<\/p>\n
Fedora said all the backs are good runners but playing time will come down to how quickly they learn the protections, the blocking schemes.<\/p>\n
The fourth offensive graduate transfer has gotten the most attention but he\u2019s been in the fold for the shortest amount of time. In hopes of replacing Mitch Trubisky at quarterback, Brandon Harris transferred from LSU, where he had lost his starting job.<\/p>\n
Harris started every game as a sophomore and played in 25 games during his career with LSU. He lost his starting job last season in Week 2. After graduating this summer, he is eligible to play immediately at Carolina as a graduate transfer.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe wanted someone with experience because we don\u2019t have any quarterbacks with experience,\u201d Fedora said. \u201cWhether he\u2019s just in the room or on the practice field or actually playing, we needed some experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nathan Elliott is the only returner who has experience on the college level as the lefty completed eight of nine passes for 55 yards a season ago. Coming out of spring practice, he probably had the lead over redshirt freshmen Logan Byrd and Chazz Surratt.<\/p>\n
Elliott throws well and makes good decisions, Fedora said, but while he can run the ball, he\u2019s not fast.<\/p>\n
Surratt, on the other hand, is fast and a tremendous athlete with a strong arm, Federa said, and he has a chance to be really good \u2013 the implication being that he\u2019s not there yet.<\/p>\n
Byrd is big and strong with a good arm and he can run as well but he is still learning the offense.<\/p>\n
So, will Harris start? Well, they wanted him to come. They wanted him when he was in high school. He can run and he has played in big games. While he has a strong arm, he isn\u2019t known as an accurate passer. So, again, will he start? \u201cIt really depends on how quickly he can learn everything and how he integrates into our football team.\u201d<\/p>\n
Of course that goes for all the QB candidates, Fedora said, adding that fitting into the chemistry of the team will be crucial for whomever is named the starter.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know were not ready to name a starter now and I\u2019m not going to,\u201d Fedora said rebuffing media attempts to tip his hand.<\/p>\n
He noted that last year at this time, people were asking about a new starting quarterback by the name of Mitch Trubisky. \u201cHe wound up being the second pick in the draft,\u201d Fedora said. \u201cIt can happen. What can\u2019t it be us?\u201d<\/p>\n
Fedora said that the jury is still out on how picking up graduate transfers is going to work out, saying he\u2019s never tried it before.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe chemistry is so important to a football team,\u201d he said. \u201cHow quickly can you get these guys integrated into your team? If it\u2019s something we have success with, it\u2019s something we\u2019ll continue to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, schools don\u2019t really recruit graduate transfers as the prospective players reach out to the schools.<\/p>\n
\u201cMore and more guys are doing it for whatever reason,\u201d Fedora said. \u201cThey\u2019re looking to see the best fit for them.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said that players around the country are showing interest in transferring to Carolina after seeing the success the team has had and the success the coaching staff has had in developing players into NFL draft picks.<\/p>\n
For UNC football, some of them are starting to go to the NFL early, opening the door to transfers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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