Great Expectations: Tar Heels Have Exceeded What Coaches Expected for Effort, Character

Coaches had concerns as they took over the program.

Nell Redmond | USA TODAY Sports

With North Carolina’s season heading into the fourth quarter, Mack Brown admitted that he didn’t expect his team to be in position to reach a bowl game.

He didn’t not expect it, either.

“Very honestly, I had absolutely no idea what we were going to do,” he said.

Inheriting a program that had won a total of five games and gone 2-14 in ACC play over the past two seasons, it was hard to have many expectations beyond the typical ones that come with taking over a group that has struggled to find success.

Offensive coordinator Phil Longo studied the roster, watched all the film he could and evaluated the talent on the roster, so he came in with some idea of what the Tar Heels had in that regard.

What he didn’t know, however, was anything that didn’t show up on the field.

“Really just stealing from something Coach Brown said, he said he thought you might come into a program, there may be drug issues … maybe academic issues when you’re not winning,’ he said.

It didn’t take long for the new coaching staff to realize that none of those were issues in Chapel Hill.

“He was surprised that there were some things that typically exist when you take over a program that really weren't evident here,” Longo said. “I think it's all a testament to the character that we have in the locker room.”

That’s been something that’s stood out to defensive coordinator Jay Bateman, who had similar reservations before his arrival.

“I think the thing that stands out to me is we have really, really good kids and I was a little bit nervous about that coming in here,” he said. “They show up; they weren't afraid to go to work every day.”

Brown said he hardly ate or slept before the South Carolina game, worried about starting so many newcomers and anxious to see how his new team would put it all together on the field.

He walked away impressed that day not only with the victory, but the effort the Tar Heels gave that day.

“That's been really, really consistent, is how hard we play,” Longo said. “We've been up and we've been down score-wise and we've had great quarters and tough quarters, but we're getting the same effort out of our guys.”

Looking back on tape, Longo said he hasn’t had to worry much about calling out players for loafing on film because there have been so few.

And while that effort has been generally good, Brown believes a part of taking the next step in the program is pushing it to a level that players aren’t sure they can even achieve.

“Sometimes they think they are playing hard all the time, but they’re really not, because they have to see themselves on video before they realize, ‘Is that full speed?’, he said. “’If you can say that’s full speed, then you’re not good enough to play for us and that’s not good enough to be in the NFL.’”

While it might have been tough to project exactly where the Tar Heels would end up on the field this season, Carolina coaches have certainly had their expectations exceeded off it — which is exactly why they’re in position to play at 13 game this season.

“I think it's all a testament to the character that we have in the locker room,” Longo said. “I think looking back, I'm really impressed at the level of character that we have in our locker room and I'm really impressed at how hard our guys work and how hard they play on game day.”