Heel Tough Blog: Two Players Step Away Following Spring Practice

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The Tar Heels concluded spring practice last month and we now have news that two players who participated during the month of practices have stepped away from the program.

According to Inside Carolina, wide receiver Shanard Clower and cornerback Ty Adams are no longer with the program following the end of spring practice.

Clower, who was preparing for his sophomore season with the program, is coming off a true freshman season where he played 83 offensive snaps and 10 special teams snaps across ten games. He was targeted 19 times in those limited snaps, catching 12 passes for 96 yards.

As for Adams, he will depart after spending the last three seasons in Chapel Hill. This past season, the first under Belichick, he played just 26 defensive snaps and four special teams snaps in just six games. The previous year, as a redshirt freshman, he played 128 defensive snaps and 83 special teams snaps, including playing 50+ snaps against both Virginia and Connecticut. He finishes his Tar Heel career with four total tackles while allowing four of his six targets to be caught for 115 yards and two touchdowns.

While Adams might have the seniority, Clower is the bigger loss here based on where they were perceived to be on the depth chart exiting the spring. With how wide open the race is for snaps at slot receiver, Clower was expected to at least be a part of the rotation there after some of the flashes that he showed last season. His departure opens the door further for true freshman C.J. Sadler to see snaps as long as he does what he needs to off the field. Redshirt freshman Madrid Tucker also stands to benefit from this decision, as well.

Adams, meanwhile, didn’t seem to be much of a factor in the battle for the starting cornerback position opposite Jaiden Patterson. That battle will now likely focus on Michigan State transfer Ade Willie and holdover Jalon Thompson going into fall camp, but don’t be surprised if one of the talented true freshmen sneaks into this conversation, as well.