Noah Taylor discusses outside perception of North Carolina

North Carolina Tar Heels senior linebacker Noah Taylor recently landed at the school courtesy of the transfer portal. Before suiting up for the Tar Heels, Taylor played for their ACC rival, the Virginia Cavaliers. And during a recent press conference, he revealed that his perception of the school and program has completely changed now that he’s no longer on the outside.

“I’m not gonna hold back; I’m telling the truth. When I was at UVA, I did not like North Carolina, probably my most hated school,” said Taylor. “I thought everybody was spoiled, and they easily had the best talent in the ACC every single year; they just never put it together. And I’m so happy that I came, ’cause I’m seeing the transition from when I first got here. You can kind of see like this is why they were the way that they were because they were spoiled. It’s just really great to see that transition of the program that we’re building, and you know something very special coming this year.”

There may be some truth to what Taylor is saying. The Tar Heels were expected to compete for the ACC crown last season but finished with a lowly 6-7 record. That included a loss to rival South Carolina in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl.

“I don’t know how to explain it, but they were easily the most talented team in the ACC,” said Taylor when asked why he felt that way. “They get all the five stars. They get all the four stars, you know Jordan brand, like they got everything. And just they just never you know put it all together.”

North Carolina does have an opportunity to bounce back from their abysmal 2021 season. And with all their auditions on defense like Taylor, 2022 could be the year where they finally put it all together.

Brown marvels about Gene Chizik, impact on UNC defense

The North Carolina defense was almost nonexistent last season as they struggled to stop the opposing team’s offenses. Out of the 13 games they played, they allowed opposing teams to score 30-plus points nine times. So head coach Matt brown needed to make a change on defense, and he did when he hired his former defensive coordinator Gene Chizik.

During a recent press conference, Brown marveled about Chizik and his impact on the Tar Heels defense.

“When you introduce Gene to your defensive staff and say he was the defensive coordinator that won the national championship for us when we were in Texas. And he was the head coach that won the national championship at Auburn; most people never win a national championship here’s a guy who’s won two,” said Brown. “So he walks in the room with a swagger a confidence and credibility that every player in that room says wow. Then you start looking at the pro players he’s coached, he Charlton Warren both, and it’s really gotten our defensive players attention. They’re having fun and focused and excited about the fall.”