University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina Post-game Quotes
November 16, 2002 | Football
Nov. 16, 2002
Coach Bunting Quotes
"Its just another loss in the loss column, which is very disappointing. I love playing these kinds of games - love playing against great teams like Florida State, but our kids did battle. We didn't win. We didn't make enough plays to win."
"We had some opportunities and some players did step up and play better. We'll see a lot of good things I'm sure on the tape, but it's a loss and it is very difficult for us right now and we have to find a way to get ready to play next week against Duke. That is all we can do at this point because this game is behind us. There are some awesome athletes out on that field for Florida State."
On North Carolina's pass defense
"We pressured a lot today and we know we are taking chances when we do that, but that was our game plan going in - to be aggressive. I think our kids rallied behind that and we covered well."
"We had Cedric Holt out there for his first (game) - his baptism. I'm sure he'll remember his first game to start as a Tar Heel down here in Tallahassee against Florida State. I'm sure he got taught a few lessons, but he'll learn from those lessons."
On North Carolina's defense
"I felt all through the first half that our defense did an incredible job hanging in there in very difficult situations. Once again there were times when we moved the football, but you know we do some things that really hurt us to prevent us from scoring points."
"I was really disappointed in the punt team today. I don't understand what took place. We had a couple of real bonehead plays and we have to go back and get that straightened out now, but that just can't happen. We should have had the ball downed inside the 5-yard line and instead both of our gunners are showing up right at the punt return guy. That's not the instruction. The instruction is one to go beyond and one to stay close to the punt returner and we had a miscommunication on that."
On field position
"Our field position was awful particularly in the first half. We were backed up the entire time. Really hard to start with those field positions and expect to get anything done. But, to the players credit, they battled, they came down here to play - I'm proud of them for that reason and we'll learn from this experience."
On next week's game vs. Duke
"The victory bell has been at Carolina for a long time and it will be a heck of a challenge this week to keep it because Duke's playing better football. Some people may not believe it, but I've been watching them all year. They are playing much much better."
