University of North Carolina Athletics
Greenwood Talks About Saturday's Big Test
September 23, 1999 | Football
Sept. 23, 1999
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Starting free safety Billy-Dee Greenwood recently shared the following thoughts about Saturday's matchup with top-ranked Florida State. Greenwood, a sophomore from Norwalk, Conn., ranks third on the team with 15 tackles in two games. He has also broken up three passes and intercepted one ball for the Tar Heels in 1999.
Q: What are your thoughts on Peter Warrick and having to compete against him this weekend?
A: He's definitely a great athlete. You can't really stop an athlete like Peter Warrick, you just have to do your best to contain him. I think that's what we're going to go out there and do.
Q: Did you watch the NC State game and pick up any tips on how to cover Warrick?
A: I think State did a great job of tackling him and they did their best to try to keep him from getting a lot of yards after the catch. I think we'll have to do our best to do the same thing.
Q: How is the team going to react to the loss of a real team leader like Brandon Spoon?
A: It's definitely going to be tough. He was a leader on and off the field. He was a guy who came in the game and you just knew he was going to produce, and so we're just going to have to work with our backups to get them some experience so they can be ready to play.
Q: Does it ever amaze you that you look around and now you're one of the old guys on defense?
A: Sometimes I think about it like that, but it's part of being a leader and I think I'm ready to handle that responsibility. I know I have to step up and be a leader.
Q: What is it like playing back in the secondary against a team like Florida State that loves the deep ball so much? Can you talk about defending them and the whole mentality that they have?
A: Being a free safety, I just have to try to read Weinke and try to handle the speed of their receivers. If we can get a little pressure >from the guys up front, it helps out the guys in the secondary. We'll just have to do our best to contain those speedy receivers that they have.
Q: Describe the atmosphere and the feeling of running out onto the field at the 1997 game here between No. 2 Florida State and No. 5 Carolina?
A: It was definitely exciting. It's one of the reasons you want to come to school at a university like North Carolina, to be able to play in front of that type of big crowd. And it's going to be very exciting on Saturday because it will be the same type of atmosphere.
Q: When you look around at your teammates, is this team mentally prepared to take on the No. 1 team in the country?
A: Definitely. I know the players' mentalities on our team. They're my teammates and I don't have any doubt in my mind that these guys are ready mentally. I think that's the most important thing. If you go out there with the mindset that you're not going to get the job done, you just won't. You have to be prepared to go out there and fight. And I know we will.
Q: What do you see as a key for you and the rest of the defensive backfield in this game?
A: I believe we have to go out there and intercept the ball. Pass breakups are nice, but when you're in position to get an interception, you have to do so against a team like this. Turnovers are going to be key, and if we can get a couple of interceptions it will help us out.
It's also going to be important to throw off the quarterback - play a little bit of man and a little bit of zone to mix it up and bring pressure up front. Tackling's also going to be key. With athletes like Florida State has they're going to make plays and we've got to do our best to make tackles after catches so they can't get loose and run with the ball.
