In Jay Bateman's system, UNC's linebacker corps is showing promise

Few expected the linebacker corps for the 2019 North Carolina football team to perform the way it has so far. 

Sophomore Jeremiah Gemmel was injured for parts of last season and didn't play many snaps when he was healthy. But after surprising his coaches with great performances in spring practice, he was named a starting inside linebacker.

Junior Chazz Surratt, meanwhile, didn't even play for the defense in 2018. He was a quarterback for Tar Heels last season, starting one game against Miami. Surratt made the switch to linebacker in February, and now leads the team in tackles, recording a career-best 17 in the six-overtime loss to Virginia Tech. 

Tomon Fox, a defensive end in high school, is first on the team in sacks with five. And senior Allen Cater, another former defensive end, suffered a torn ACL that cut his season short last year, but this season, has already surpassed his season-high for tackles. 

“I’m just doing what coach wants me to do,” Cater said. "We’re going to do whatever we can to help this team win."

If there's one thing that unites these four players: their versatility. Co-defensive coordinator Jay Bateman has taken full advantage of this, using a variety of formations to get the most out of his team’s talent. So far, the results have been positive.

“Bateman is a mad scientist,” Cater said. “He’s going to find out what we’re good at, and he’s going to put us in the best situation to do that.”

Surratt wasn't the only one in that group to change positions. Junior Dominique Ross used to take snaps at middle linebacker, but Bateman moved him to the outside, where he spends more time in pass coverage.

“He’s not even in the position he signed up to play," Gemmel said, "and he’s out there making plays and doing what he has to for the team."

The reason for the position change? The emergence of Surratt.

After initially starting for a suspended Ross in the opener against South Carolina, Surratt has continued to make huge plays for his team, posting 7.5 tackles for loss and four sacks so far in 2019.

“I always knew (Surratt) was an athlete,” Ross said. “He’s a fast guy; he’s physical. I have seen his physicality in the spring, so I always knew he could do what he’s doing now.”

Ross, for his part, is embracing his new role on the team and is excited about the prospect of continuing to play alongside Surratt and Gemmel.

“The defense plays better when all three of us are on the field,” Ross said.

Though there's still improvements to be made, Bateman's changes have had a noticeable impact on the defense. The Tar Heels allowed 34.6 points per game in 2018, but have reduced that number to a more respectable 27 per contest through seven games in 2019. 

UNC has also yielded an average of 388.7 yards, lower than the 447.6 yards the previous season when the Tar Heels went 2-9. 

With a rivalry game versus Duke up next, the North Carolina defense will have to continue to show improvement in order to claim the Victory Bell for the first time in three years. For that to happen, UNC's linebacker corps, with the help of Bateman, will have to continue to work together to excel in their new positions. 

Cater, for one, is optimistic.

“When you have a team around you, that makes things easier," Cater said. "The bond that we have is so close that it makes everything feel a lot better.”

@ryanheller23

@DTHSports | sports@dailytarheel.com