Blocking responsibilities lead Pianalto to bulk up

In these days of the spread offense and new-age H-backs who are more receivers than blockers, forgive Zack Pianalto if his last offseason could be described as "old school."

When Butch Davis ventured down to Pianalto's boyhood home of Springdale, Ark., to recruit the 6-foot-4 Pianalto away from Mack Brown and Texas, scouts knew Davis had just acquired a great receiving tight end.

But there were doubts as to whether he had the bulk to be a contributor on the ACC level, weighing in at a pedestrian 215 pounds his senior year in high school. Still, nobody doubted his ability to catch the football.

He justified that confidence by turning in the fourth-most receptions and receiving yards on last year's Tar Heels.

Despite that success, Pianalto was not satisfied with his overall play.

"I definitely wanted to improve my blocking," he said. "That was what I felt my weakest part was. In retrospect, I can improve every area of my game. I always need work in every area, but blocking was a big thing.

"If I added the 20-30 pounds, I knew that, just like that, I wouldn't pick it up right away, but it just helps me that much more keeping my ground against the bigger guy."

Fast forward to today: The (relatively) waiflike Pianalto of high school is gone. In his place, a stout 255-pound monster is occupying the last spot on the line of scrimmage for the Tar Heels.

"He got in the weight room," quarterback T.J. Yates said. "And he exploded. He got big. He worked his butt off in the weight room every day, eating right, getting reps."

Since Pianalto has enrolled at North Carolina, he has put on 40 pounds. That will make plenty of defensive ends pause before taking him on.

"Last year it seemed like I was on the ground every play," Pianalto said. "After the defensive end made contact, he would just throw me around where he wanted me to go."

With that in mind, Pianalto went to work. Every day throughout the summer, he remained intent on adding to the 230-pound playing weight he sported last season.

"Zack last year was kind of similar to a situational player," Davis said. "Now that he's up to over 250 pounds, we're counting on Zack to be a guy who can play in every single down and distance situation. He went from 218, 219 to 252 and didn't sacrifice any of his speed and quickness."

This extra bulk figures to pay big dividends for the Tar Heels' attack because it makes them more versatile with their blocking capabilities. Pianalto can now block and help protect Yates when he drops back, or he can run routes and catch the ball like he did so well in high school.

It gives defenses yet another responsibility to defend against in an offense already rife with weapons.