Tar Heels Feeling Refreshed in Military Bowl Practices

UNC’s youngsters have gotten extra work in preparation for the Military Bowl

CHAPEL HILL — For the past few years, Charlie Heck spent his holidays the same way as every college football fan in America, losing track of the days around afternoon kickoffs and evening parties with old friends.

“Right now, I’d probably just be on my couch, waiting to watch some bowl games, working out,” he said.

Luckily for Heck, he’s got a few more commitments this season as North Carolina prepares to meet Temple in the Military Bowl on Friday afternoon, marking the Tar Heels’ first postseason appearance since 2016.

“This is way better,” Heck said. “Still being with your friends, still being on campus.”

The Tar Heels are making the most of that bonus time together as they prepare to meet the Owls.

For veterans like Heck, it’s a chance to sharpen their game during a time players don’t have to worry about going to class.

For guys a little further down the depth chart, it’s a chance to get a head-start on the future as they take a bigger share of practice reps.

“We are taking these practices and we're working part of them like a spring practice for the young ones,” Carolina coach Mack Brown said. “And we have told the young ones, ‘You are earning playing time right now in spring practice.’”

Between the break around exams, younger players getting into the mix and the chance to finish off a winning season, the Tar Heels have had no problem ramping up the energy, even more than four months after the start of training camp.

“What stands out is everybody is still excited, everybody is bringing effort every single day, but also, the younger guys are able to get valuable reps,” Heck said.

Rather than the in-season practice grind of focusing on an opponent, putting in the gameplan and perfecting it in a matter of days, there’s a much different feeling in the lead-up to the bowl game, Carolina can focus on Carolina.

Generally, that’s reserved for the open weeks on the schedule.

“The fact that we have more time, we’re able to work on ourselves more,” linebacker Tomon Fox said. “I think that’s a key thing that we need to do so we can come out in the game not looking rusty.”

The tone of practice shifts slightly this week after the Tar Heels arrived in Washington, D.C. on Sunday night to begin their final preparations for Friday afternoons’ game.

Carolina will practice every day, with Monday’s workout at St. Stephen’s/St. Agnes School in Alexandria, Va. open to the public and recruits.

There, the focus will shift from splitting reps with younger players to getting those at the top of the depth chart ready to take on the Owls.

It’s certainly been a welcomed break for some, as injuries and depth concerns have put an abnormally high workload on some veterans like Fox.

Headed into the final week of the season, the Tar Heels are as healthy as they’ve been since the first — and it’s showing up in their approach.

“It’s been great; it’s been fun, actually,” Fox said. “Everybody is out here competing; it feels like spring ball.”