Garrett White spent his freshman season following one basic instruction: get to the quarterback. As a rising sophomore, his role is about to get more complicated.

The Miami product spent last season in the Designated Pass Rusher ("DPR") role for Carolina's defense. He was frequently on the field in passing situations when the Tar Heels went to their 3-3 package the Heels called "Spinners." The limited role provided him with an opportunity to see on-field action while limiting the variables he had to learn. Run fits were rarely a concern and pass coverages were of only minor concern. From that position, he picked up one sack and two tackles for the season.

But as spring practice approaches an end with Saturday's spring game, White's DPR days are over. He's spent the entire spring at strong-side linebacker, a position closer to what he played in high school at Florida powerhouse Norland High. And with the news that Larry Edwards would sit out the rest of the spring to concentrate on his academics, repetitions have been in abundance for White.

"He's gotten a ton of time since Larry isn't out there at SAM," John Bunting said. "He needs to make the most of this opportunity because he might be the SAM of the future. He has some smarts, some leverage, and can move his feet."

He also has an infectious attitude that captivated the Carolina head coach during White's first season. In the heat of last season's training camp, just a month into his indoctrination as a college football player, White's broad smile was already one of the most noticeable things on the Tar Heel practice field. Bunting was bragging on him after practice on Aug. 25 and said, "He has one of the greatest attitudes as a freshman I've ever been around. He has a smile on his face all the time."

Just then, White happened to walk by.

"G. White, are you smiling?" Bunting boomed.

"Of course, Coach!" White responded.

The head coach beamed. "What'd I tell you?" he said.

At the time, White was just trying to earn his way onto the traveling squad. He eventually became one of only a handful of true freshmen to see the field in 2005--a group that included fellow linebacker Mark Paschal, who has also made a move onto the two-deep.

Although the coaching staff envisioned him as a linebacker during the recruiting process, White thought he might bulk up and play end at the college level. A full season of college football has changed that opinion, however.

"I found out I'm too little to play end," he said. "I'm a better fit at linebacker, and that means I have to work on my reactions and on being more consistent. That's what the coaches say will make me a better player."

"He is strong enough to play that position," linebackers coach Tommy Thigpen said. "We had to put him out there last year at somewhat of an unnatural position because we just didn't have the depth. With the young guys coming in, we feel like we have more depth. He's a very smart kid and has picked things up very well."

To speed the learning process, White has watched more film than he did as a freshman. The 15 allotted practice sessions of spring ball have been spread out over nearly a month, so White has tried to accelerate his learning curve by cuing up footage of Larry Edwards on the days the Tar Heels don't hit the practice field.

"We've asked a lot of him this spring," Thigpen said. "But he has proven to us that he is a natural linebacker."

Adam Lucas is the publisher of Tar Heel Monthly and can be reached at alucas@tarheelmonthly.com. He is the coauthor of the official book of the 2005 championship season, Led By Their Dreams, and his book on Roy Williams's first season at Carolina, Going Home Again, is now available in bookstores. To subscribe to Tar Heel Monthly or learn more about Going Home Again, click here.