Via WTVD.
UNC associate head coach for defense Vic Koenning offered up some brutally honest comments on his unit's performance against East Carolina. Oh and he does it not ten feet away from Tre Boston and other UNC players which is less interesting when you consider they've already heard most of this only with more...um...colorful metaphors mixed in.
Koenning doesn't mince words in pointing out that he is basically fighting tooth(literally) and nail to simply get defensive players to focus and do the right things. Apparently the effort and focus issues have been a concern all season since Koenning indicated that he thought they finally got past them with the way they played versus Georgia Tech. Sure, the Yellow Jackets ultimately rolled over the Tar Heel defense but at least they showed up.
That wasn't the case against ECU and Koenning is visibly frustrated, so much so, he is willing to put the defense on blast through the local media. You could argue is putting all the blame on the players but I don't think that is the case. Koenning knows and even says he is ultimately responsible. That makes this venting to reporters a last ditch effort to push his players to get their collective act together.
I have no idea if it will make a difference or backfire spectacularly but given what happened on Saturday it can't possibly get worse.
UPDATE: Check out this Daily Tar Heel article which includes senior safety Tre Boston responding to what Koenning had to say. He basically dismisses his coach's comments out of hand chalking it up to "well he says stuff like that." Koenning says there is no leadership, Boston(who ostensibly should be the leader of this defense) says it's fine.
I think that tells you all you need to know.