Sanders' secondary

Cornerback Bryan Bethea picked a pass near the right sideline midway through Thursday’s practice, his feet brushing the green grass before his momentum carried him away from the field.

“Great hustle!” Marvin Sanders yelled.

A few minutes later, corner Linwood Williams snagged a throw from the grasp of receiver Wallace Wright. Cheers erupted as a mob of defenders flocked to Williams, including a leaping hug from enthusiastic freshman Garrett White.

The interceptions merely occurred in an offense-defense drill, but positive vibes — sparked by Sanders, the second-year defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach — are palpable throughout the secondary.

“Coach Sanders brought swagger to this position group when he got here,” said junior cornerback Jacoby Watkins, who nabbed two interceptions last year, tying him for the team lead..

“He’s all about having confidence and just being fundamentally sound. And that’s how we approach every game.”

Sanders brought that swagger from Nebraska, where his defensive backfield ranked No. 1 in the nation in pass efficiency in 2003. That same year, North Carolina finished 117th — last in the nation.

A year later, the Tar Heel pass defense climbed to 87th.

“It’s going to take a lot to get it how he had it in Nebraska,” said safety Mahlon Carey. “We’re working hard, and we’re definitely going to get our hands on more balls.”

Carey, a starter at linebacker in four games for North Carolina last season, has returned to strong safety, a position that he played extensively in 2003. The senior is in a battle with sophomore Trimane Goddard for the starting job.

Despite Carey’s seniority and what head coach John Bunting considers an NFL-caliber body, neither Sanders nor Bunting has identified a leader in the competition for playing time at this point.

Whichever player emerges victorious, however, faces the daunting task of replacing departed senior Gerald Sensabaugh. The fifth-round draft pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars played a crucial role in patrolling the defensive backfield, leading the team with 78 tackles.

“I think what Gerald did was that he was very confident in his ability,” Sanders said. “I try to replay that to the guys — remember the communication he had, remember the understanding he had with the defense. That’s what we all have to strive for, that level of understanding.”

Aside from the duel at strong safety, UNC has started to accumulate depth at the cornerback position as well.

Even though projected starters Watkins and Cedrick Holt each started the final 10 games of the 2004 campaign, Sanders said that sophomore Quinton Person, along with Bethea and Williams, have challenged the depth-chart frontrunners.

The backup cornerbacks gained additional repetitions in training camp after Watkins was sidelined for the first week of practice with a mysterious ailment similar to vertigo.

He has since resumed light workouts, but Person has led the charge of the players ready to fill the void if needed.

“I felt like I had to step up regardless of if (Watkins) is here or not,” Person said.

“Coach needs someone he can depend on to make plays and know the assignments and know what to do, and I want to be that guy.”

Regardless of which defensive backs start Sept. 10 against Georgia Tech and last year’s ACC Rookie of the Year receiver Calvin Johnson, one goal remains constant — to avoid the defensive woes of 2003 and the off-and-on struggles of 2004.

Whether that occurs could depend largely on whether Sanders’ swagger can translate to the playing field and withstand the potent offenses waiting on the schedule.

“If we get them in passing situations, second-and-long, we’re going to have some fun,” Watkins said.

“Third-and-long, we’ll have some fun, bring our dime out, bring Coach Sanders’ boys out, bring some speed out — get out and have some fun.”

Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.