North Carolina football coach Larry Fedora discussed Saturday’s game against Georgia (5:30 p.m., Georgia Dome, Atlanta). Here is a transcript from Fedora’s news conference:
Opening statement
“I’m sure everyone is excited about kicking off the 2016 season. I know our team is. They’ve worked extremely hard. I’m excited about this 2016 team. I’m excited about the leadership. I’m excited about the chemistry that these guys have created. I’m excited about their attitudes and the way they’ve prepared each and every day. I’m excited about their conditioning. Now we get to find out what we’re all about. We get to find out who we really are. You really don’t know until you face some adversity. That’s coming. It will come at some point during this game whether it’s on the first play or the 16th or the last one. Who knows, but it’s coming. It will be interesting to see how we adjust and how we handle the adversity that we are faced with.
On not having Mack Hollins in the first half against Georgia (Hollins will miss the first half because he was ejected from UNC’s bowl game last season)
“We’ve been preparing for that this whole camp. The biggest deal for us is that he’s a starter on all four special teams. So you’re talking about four different units you’re having to prepare for. That’s been more difficult than preparing offensively. We’ll have the next receiver step up. We’ve got a lot of guys playing the position. One thing (wide receivers coach) Gunter’s (Brewer) done, he’s rolled every guy inside and out. Ryan Switzer’s played inside, he’s played outside. Bug’s (Howard) played inside, he’s played outside. Hollins has played inside, he’s played outside. Every one of the backups has played inside and outside. So we’ve got quite a few guys that know what to do. Gunter will make that decision at game time.”
On altering offensive snaps with Mack Hollins missing the first half against Georgia
“We’ll alter it some. Special teams wise we’ll alter it quite a bit. Mac knows. He’s been a starter now for four years on special teams. I’m not really as concerned there. Those other guys need the reps. We’ve started pulling back on some of Mac’s reps when we started preparing for Georgia. And it’s not to take away from him, it’s to get the next guys ready and make sure they are prepared.”
On where Mack will be missed the most on special teams
“Leadership. He’s the guy that’s been out there the most. He’s the guy who understands the effort and intensity it takes on each and every snap. The motto is, ‘it’s one play and you’re out.’ You’re out here for one play and then you’re off the field. So it’s giving everything you’ve got for that one play as long as it lasts.”
On if one player or multiple players will fill the role Mack Hollins had on special teams
“It will be multiple. Not one guy is going to start in all four spots behind him. Mac’s a pretty unique talent in terms of what he can do on special teams. I’d have to look at it, but I think it’s four different guys.”
On who will start at wide receiver instead of Mack Hollins
“I’m sure we’ll know before the game, but we haven’t finalized that. It could be anybody right now. It’s a little bit unknown right now.”
On the position battle for the starting RG spot
“I don’t know if anyone’s separated (themselves). I’d say we’re down to a two-horse race. Tommy Hatton and RJ Prince are probably the two guys that are going to play there. Both may play. It may not be an issue. They both may play.”
On if he needs to see Mitch Trubisky play as a starter to know if he’s “his guy”
“I’m convinced he’s our guy. There’s no question about that. But you’re right, coming off the bench in a relief role and being a starter – there’s a difference there. There will be a little bit of a learning curve for him in that aspect. You don’t have time to ease into the game. You’ve got to roll. His role doesn’t change. It’s take care of the football and move the chains. That’s it. That’s all we’re asking him to do. You don’t have to be superhuman. Just take care of the football and move the chains.”
On the amount of freshmen listed on the depth chart who could play
“I anticipate quite a few more freshmen who will play in the game. It could be up to 13. It could be up to more than half the class that participates in the game.”
On if that’s a statement on how good they are or a need that they are filling
“I think it’s both. This class is pretty special and they’ve shown that all through camp all the way through in the way they’ve prepared themselves. I think there’s some very talented young guys in the class, and I think they are prepared to help. In some instances, we’ve got some holes we need to fill and they’ve got to go.”
On if the game against Georgia is a steppingstone for Carolina’s program going to the next step
“It’s a big game. It’s against a great opponent who has a great tradition. They are well known. It is a good measuring stick for where we are with this program right now. Everyone knows – win or lose – it doesn’t make or break our season one way or the other because it doesn’t affect our goals we have for this football team. Yeah, we want to go out there and win a football game. We’re preparing that way and I believe that our guys will believe they can win the football game.”
On if the loss to South Carolina in the season opener taught him any lessons
“Oh you bet. There’s a bunch of lessons to be learned in each of those situations and hopefully we learned from them and got a little bit better. Has it been enough? We’ll learn Saturday night.”
On how does the team view itself
“They expect to win. I don’t know if they know who’s favored and who’s not. I don’t know who’s favored or who’s not. None of that really matters when you get into the game. You’ve got to play. All I can ask for from our guys is that they walk out onto the field and expect to win. If they do that we’ll be all right.”
On what gives him confidence in the run defense
“How much work that those guys have put in. Their attitudes. (Defensive line coach) Tray’s (Scott) attitude. The chemistry they have within that group. I think the things that (Defensive Coordinator) Gene (Chizik) and the staff have put in. I feel comfortable with where those guys are right now.”
On Georgia having a great team
“This may not be right, but I think since I’ve been here I don’t think there’s been a year where Georgia hasn’t been in the top-10 in recruiting rankings. They’ve got players. There’s going to be a tailback back there that can go. There’s going to be an offensive line that can go. There’s going to be a quarterback that, whoever it is, he can go. Same thing on defense. They’ve got players. It really doesn’t matter. For us, it’s making sure that our guys know what to do, we’re fresh, we play fast and we don’t have to think.”
