University of North Carolina Athletics
Player Quotes: Tuesday's Press Conference
November 13, 2002 | Football
Nov. 13, 2002
On his evaluation of his 2002 performance:
So far I don't think I am having a great season. I am having an okay season.
Last year, I had a better season than I did this year because I had more
breakout plays that can put us in position to win. I have more yards than I
did last season so that is the biggest difference. I hoped to have a better
season, break more tackles so I could have more touchdowns.
On his UNC career:
From my freshman year to my sophomore year to my junior year, I keep my self
on a consistent basis of having a great year every year and that is
something that was in line with my career goals to keep getting better every
year.
On his best asset as a receiver:
It's getting open and eluding coverages by running the route and perfect
technique. Don't round the route, stick it every time and just come out at
full speed. I am not the fastest and not the slowest, I can take it the
distance.
On his head-over-heels touchdown catch vs. Florida State last year:
I watch it over and over on Thursdays. That is the only thing I watch to
get hyped for Saturday. Every Thursday night I come home and watch just that
play, me leaping over him. It's like if I go head to head with this guy he
is going to run me out of bounds at the 2-yard line. I am saying, "When was
the last time NC beat Florida State." I just took that leap and touched the
pylon and now it is a great inspiration for me.
On taping his forearms for every game:
I found there is enough room for me to put my mother's name on there, my
brothers, my grandmother, everybody I am playing for, so that is the reason
I do that. I started the end of my sophomore year. At the bottom I put how
many yards I am going to have this game, how many touchdowns. Sometimes I
achieve my goal, sometimes I don't. It's a good way to set myself for what I
want to do going into the game.
On breaking the receiving records at Carolina:
It would mean a great deal to me. I look downstairs in the locker room about
how Carolina is known for 1,000-yard backs. I want to be the one to start
the trend of 1,000-yard receivers.
On the difference playing without Darian Durant:
I miss him because he brings a lot to the table. We were on the same page at
times. It took C.J. and I not a while, but a game and a half for us to get
back on that same page that Durant and me were on. Things will come along; I
wish I had more games to play with C.J. He is a great athlete.
On Florida State's program:
I always think that they are very talented. No matter how many graduated
they always are going to bring athletes in. I never under rate their
expectations. They are a great football team.
On the Florida State game:
We have been struggling the whole season, and it1's time to have a breakout
game and this game is really big. We can have a big breakout game this week.
It is going to be tough in Tallahassee. Florida State is a good team. We
have got to have the game we have been looking for.
On the positives from this season looking ahead:
Including myself - I am a young player - I am getting snaps this year to get
some experience to use for my next three years here at Carolina. I am
building this year to carry on to next season.
On the positives this season within this season:
It's hard to say because 2-7 is hard to look for positives in. It's been
real rough. There have been some positives with sometimes the offense does
well and sometimes the defense does well. It is just a building process.
On how close the team is to a breakout game:
All of our games have been close at the beginning. We come out enthused and
focused and the one little mistake causes a domino effect. We just have to
keep fighting and not let that one big play bring us down.
