Donnie Miles setting the tone in UNC football's secondary

For North Carolina redshirt sophomore safety Donnie Miles, it’s the mental part of his game that has set him apart so far this season.

In 2014, Miles occupied the ram position in the Tar Heels’ lineup, where he started six games.

In the hybrid spot, the redshirt sophomore finished fifth on the team in tackles with 53 and racked up four tackles for loss, one sack and one pass breakup.

But after Gene Chizik was tabbed as UNC’s new defensive coordinator in January and a new defensive system was implemented, Miles has had to adjust to a new position at strong safety.

And while he has acknowledged the difficulty of the change, Miles said his focus on learning his responsibilities has helped smooth the transition.

“It was a really big (change) ... but I’m a whole lot more comfortable,” Miles said.

”(I’m working on my) fundamentals and tracking the ball right, tackling, knowing my assignment, knowing my defense more, and that has helped me a lot.”

Miles’ emphasis on knowing his role carried him into the starting lineup when North Carolina opened up its season against South Carolina on Sept. 3, and he has impressed several of his coaches and teammates along the way.

Charlton Warren, UNC’s defensive backs coach, said after practice Wednesday that the redshirt sophomore has made the biggest improvements of any player he has seen on the defense.

“He has probably come the furthest from spring ball, and that’s saying something, playing a different whole position ... and to make that transition and take hold of the position like he has,” Warren said.

“I’ve been really impressed with his focus, his ability to tackle in space and really his awareness as the game progresses of what’s going to happen to him.”

After two games, Miles is tied for the team lead in tackles with 18, and has shown he can contribute in a number of ways, whether it be by defending passes or crashing down on runs.

Miles said his motivation to perform so far this season has come from his teammates, who are determined to separate the North Carolina secondary from its infamous 2014 campaign.

The Tar Heels ranked 105th in the country in total pass defense, giving up an average of 263.5 yards through the air per game, something Miles and the rest of the defensive backs desperately want to make up for.

“We all hold each other to a standard,” he said.

“People didn’t respect us last year as (defensive backs) and we’re just trying to get our respect back.”

And so far in 2015 it has been Miles leading the way for the unit. His knowledge of the position has often put him in the right place, and when he gets in position, his physical ability has allowed him to make the play, something Chizik mentioned on Wednesday.

“We always felt like Donnie could be a good football player, but you don’t ever know what’s going to happen until you turn the lights on and you play a game,” he said.

“Now he’s just being where he’s supposed to be most of the time, and then being productive when he gets there.”

@jbo_vernonsports@dailytarheel.com