CHAPEL HILL – Larry Fedora recently said he would, ‘take all of the Jabari Prices we could get,’ with regards to the Florida native’s physique and physical approach to the game.
Coming into his junior season, Price has some of the most experience of anyone in the secondary
“I definitely have to be aggressive in the boundary corner spot,” the junior cornerback said. “A lot of teams try to pick on the backside of the boundary and the coaches have to have faith in me to put me there to make the right decisions. Whether it’s to decide the right run fit or run with a guy in man-to-man, I have to be confident in myself.”
How has your game and mentality changed since high school?
“I refrain from being a finesse corner. In high school I didn’t tackle as much and I only wanted to cover. Now I’m more of a physical, bump-and-run, in-your-face kind of guy. I’m not shying away from contact and I’m not going away. I’m right here today and everyday.
“I’m not soft at all. I’ll stick my nose in there and get it dirty. I’m not going to back down from anybody. I might be 195-pounds but I’m going to mix it up with anybody. I’m not going to run from no fight.”
What did you think about the scrimmage on Saturday?
“Saturday’s scrimmage went well. The offense had some plays and the defense had some plays. Individually, I had 9 tackles and a forced fumble so I think I came to play but I like to push myself for interceptions but I didn’t have the opportunity.
“The offense has gotten better for sure. They were suffering from injuries in the spring like Brennan Williams and Jonathan Cooper but now those guys are back and going. They’re definitely more explosive and even with the injuries now it doesn’t seem like they’ve fallen off at all. They go at the same tempo and they have talent in the ones and twos. Nothing has changed. They’ve definitely progressed.”
What have you seen from the wide receivers and their lack of depth?
“I couldn’t really tell they were struggling with depth (at wide receiver). Other guys are making plays like Mark McNeil and Roy Smith. Guys that you never would have thought about have been stepping up and making the most of the opportunity.”
Do you think any of the freshman wide outs have a chance to help the team this season?
“It’s up to Coach Brewer with his faith in the guys. They have to play behind guys like (Erik) Highsmith, Sean Tapley and Reggie Wilkins. These guys know the system but they could definitely contribute on special teams. That was my role and you definitely have to contribute somewhere or somehow. Whether it’s kickoff, punt or punt-return you definitely want to contribute to get the team better.
“I definitely see the progress from where they came in from the summer until now. They’re getting better because they realize they’re going to be going against bigger corners and they’re going to be pressed. They realize they’re going to have block. It’s a big jump from high school.”
