North Carolina head coach Larry Fedora spoke to the media Tuesday.
Opening Statement
“After looking at the film, evaluating everything, we obviously didn’t play well enough to win the football game the other night. You’ve got to give Duke credit for making the plays when they had to make them to win the football game. [Jamison Crowder] made a really nice catch on their last play and despite getting hit by two different guys he hung on and they won the football game. That was the bottom line.”
On why Duke rushing was so successful
“There were just too many times when we didn’t guys in the gaps or we didn’t squeeze off the gaps the way they needed to be squeezed off. It wasn’t one play, it was a couple of different plays that they were actually running and because of our movement up front, when they hit it we just didn’t get it closed off. They did a nice job throughout the night.”
On the countdown to NC State on Saturday
“It’s a big rivalry game. That’s been pointed out to me since the first handshake when I took the job. Again, it’s like I’ve said before, it’s what makes college football so great. The fans, the pageantry, the regional rivalries, so this is a big game.”
On what he has been told about the rivalry
“People from the very first time said this is ‘the game.’ You’ve got to focus on that game. You’ve got to win. We all know that every game is important and you don’t base your season on one game. But you also have to understand the importance of the game because of the rivalry.”
On the weight of the NC State game
“We try to go into this season because of [being bowl ineligible] with every game being like a bowl game for us. We only get 12 opportunities and we’re running out of opportunities. This is the next one and it’s a big one. It’s our rivalry game. I can’t tell you that we’re going out and changing the way that we practice, but it’s something that is talked about amongst the team, the coaches, everybody. Everybody understands the importance of it.”
On the expectations on team leaders to help prepare the team after a loss
“That’s something that we start preparing for in winter conditioning, spring ball and in the summer. It’s easy to lead when things are going good, anybody can do that and everybody wants to be the leader then. It’s times like this when things aren’t going the way you want them to, when times are tough, when people have given up on you, when people are down on you — it’s who steps up then and who lifts the team then, who shows the team the way it’s got to be done and how we’re going to do it. That’s defines your leaders.”
On being 1-3 in games with a five-point or less differential
“Offensively we’ve kicked too many field goals in those games. Defensively in two of those games we’ve given up a drive late the length of the field. Somebody has got to step up and make those plays and make a stop. For the football team it’s about finishing. It’s still getting over that hump, learning how to finish a football game no matter what the situation is because you’ve got to prepare for both whether it’s the offense on the field or the defense on the field or it’s a game-changing play with special teams. Somebody has got to step up and make a play to get that done. You watched in the game the other night, [Duke] made the plays when they had to. When they had to make a play, they made it. That’s a credit to David [Cutcliffe] and his staff and the kids that have grown up within their system.”
On Shakeel Rashad running into Conner Vernon prior to a play set-up
“I was standing not very far from where it happened on the field. And I have looked at it very closely. It happened basically the way I thought it happened on the field. First of all, you’ve got to know Rashad — he’s one of the nicest kids that we have on the football team and I can assure you there was no intention of harming another player and no intention on his part to purposely run into another player. He’s scrambling to get out onto the field, [Duke] was in a hurry-up mode, and he should have already been out there. He’s scrambling to get out on the field and the receiver made a couple of steps backward and walked into each other before they thought. Rashad turned his shoulder and ran into the guy. There was no intention whatsoever on his part, I assure you, to actually run into the guy. If [Rashad] had been more athletic he could have missed him. I don’t know exactly what he was looking at when he was running out there. I know he was in panic mode because he was supposed to be on the field and he wasn’t out there when they were fixing to snap the ball. There was none of the ‘Hey let me run into this guy to stop the play before it even starts,’ or any malice at all.”
On Tim Jackson going down with an injury
“It’s unfortunate because it was away from the play. I’m sure the guy had no intention to harm him either. The play was ending, he ended up cutting in on [Tim] and it’s put him out two or three weeks. I’m sure [the ACC] will review it. They review everything. Anything that we think was a questionable call or something we want them to take a second look at, we just have to send it in. We sent in quite a few plays actually.”
On being told about the five game losing streak against NC State
“Probably on that first handshake. I don’t really remember. It’s been a one-sided situation for the last five years. That’s something that obviously our guys are aware of and our fans are very much aware of. Everybody in the program is aware of what has to be done.”
On the potentially redshirting currently injured players
“Until we have a guy who has a possibility of getting back and getting ready to go do we make a decision like that. From my understanding we’re not in that situation with anybody based on who has or hasn’t been cleared.”
On Devon Ramsay
“He actually practiced a little bit last week. He actually was on the scout team and got some reps. We’re trying to slowly bring him back as he has not been completely released. We put him on the scout team last week just so he could start getting knocked around. This week he’ll probably be involved a little bit more in the practice situation. Whether or not they’ll release him I don’t know. That’s tough on anybody. Just the injury alone — to have an injury like that late in the year and to know it’s going to keep you out the majority of the season the next year, that’s tough on anybody. These guys aren’t professionals, they’re kids. And handling adversity like that is a difficult thing to do but it has to be done. You have to do it and it will make you a better person down the road.”
On NC State’s scheme
“Defensively for them, they’re really big up front. They’re athletic up front. They lead the league in sacks so they’re doing a great job putting pressure on the quarterback. You know they’re going to play extremely well against us. Secondary line has some skill back there with big corners who can run and they do a really nice job. Their running corps is young, or inexperienced I should say, but they’ve really come on. I wouldn’t say they’re inexperienced now after [being over halfway through the season], but I think they’re coming into their own. Offensively with [Mike] Glennon, he can spin the ball really well and he’s got some good receivers. The offensive line is doing a nice job. I think they’re pretty balanced with what they do as far as run-pass. I don’t think they’re trying to dominate one way or the other; they just make you take what they give you and take what you give them. They’re very, very sound in the special teams. They don’t do anything fancy. They’re pretty much base and they’re good at what they do. They’re a well-coached football team.”
On the necessity of needing to win against NC State
“I cannot tell you how many [people have said how badly we need to win this game]. I couldn’t count. If I meet somebody new, it’s what they talk about. It’s something our fans have made it aware to me what they would like to happen.”
On the rivalry
“I think it’s your typical rivalry. Again, that’s the great thing about college football. I’ve never coached in the NFL so I can’t speak for that, but I can tell you that this is what makes it so much for especially for your fans. That’s their bragging rights, that’s the thing that they get to talk about the entire year at the water cooler. That’s what’s fun about college sports. On both sides of it that’s what makes it exciting. They’re so passionate about it, and that’s fun to know that it matters so much to so many people. The worst thing would be apathy and that nobody really cared one way or the other. So I think it’s a great thing.”
On Sunday’s practice after the loss to Duke
“It was a very depressed group when they came in yesterday. I didn’t expect it to be any different and we talked about that. It should feel that way and it should hurt. If it means something to you, that’s the way it’s going to be. That’s a good thing, but it also has to be controlled. At that point once we evaluate that film, are critical of ourselves and how we played, and once we’ve looked in the mirror and tried to figure out why, then you’ve got to turn it off. That’s easier said that done. We’ve talked about making a conscious decision of what you’re going to do about it.”
On the undefeated record at home
“I’ll tell you I’m glad they’re coming here. Our team has played well in the Tar Pit. We’re going to continue to try to build that tradition and that’s a big part of what we’re trying to do. Our kids have taken a lot of pride in that. I think they’ve played well and hopefully we can continue that.”
