University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina 42, James Madison 10
September 3, 2011 | Football
Sept. 3, 2011
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North Carolina Football • Game 1
UNC 42, James Madison 10
Sept. 3, 2011 • Kenan Stadium • Chapel Hill, N.C.
UNC Head Coach Everett Withers
Opening Statement
“Obviously, this is a good win for the program, getting started. Had some things that were really positive. I thought we had a good game week of preparation. The kids were focused from the time we got the hotel to the time we got over here for pregame warm-up. We played 21 freshmen today and 10 (were) true freshmen. We're trying to build this program and we felt like we needed to get those guys on the field and play them. We played the three main tailbacks and we felt like those guys had a really good day. Everybody knows Bryn Renner…22 of 23 with one errant pass as an interception. That's pretty good.
On Renner congratulating Withers at the end of the game
I think Bryn understands me and respects me as much as I understand and respect him. We've got a pretty good relationship. He's the son of a coach and he understands what coaches go through and how it affects families. He's a pretty special young man.
On giving Butch Davis a game ball
I don't know when I'm planning on (giving it to him), but I just know we're going to paint one up and give it to him. Tuesday about 1:30 Coach Davis called me and I know why he called me at 1:30, because at 2:10 we start special teams meeting and it hit him. It was the first time he wasn't going to be in that special teams meeting. It hit me. I told the kids on Thursday that we were getting ready to paint thisball up for coach and give it to him.
On how well team played
We've got very good coaches on our staff who work their tails off. They work on the little things. One of the things we've talked about is that we've been 8-5 with a lot of talent around here and if we do the little things right we can be betterthan 8-5. That's been a real emphasis. I'm talking about on the field, in the meeting rooms, in the classroom, everything. The little things are what make good teams good and that's what we're trying to strive for.
On JMU's 19-play drive and being able to coach off that
Anytime you win, you can always go back the next day and find some things you need to work on. It gives you great motivation to go back and coach your butt off as a coach because you want to be better. Our goal is to be better week 2 than week 1…bottom line. That's the whole emphasis going into tomorrow afternoon…how can we get better Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday so we can play Rutgers. The 19-play drive obviously cost us in the time of possession, but we can coach off that and get better.
Did this exceed expectations
Obviously, I'm proud of what happened out there today. Hopefully, we can continue to get better. We'll talk about meeting and exceeding when this thing is over. I want to get better each week. That's all I care about.
Feeling of running out of tunnel, shaking hands at the end of the game
It felt good. Obviously, it's my first time doing it, but I felt comfortable doing it. Felt no problems doing it and I'm looking forward to the next time I get to run off and shake's someone's hand that loses against us.
On running the ball well, Bryn's play
I've said this all week long. If we play well around Bryn, he'll play well. If you can run the football, if you can play action pass, if you can block on the perimeter, the passinggame will open up. The running game set up everything Bryn was able to do today. You hit a big one down the field with Dwight and now the coverage softens up and you can hit the tight ends over the middle. All those things come into play. It was a team effort.
On what was the most impressive part of Renner's game
Just how calm he was on the field. He had a command about him today that for a first start was pretty impressive.
North Carolina vs. James Madison
UNC Player Quotes
Sept. 3, 2011
Sophomore Quarterback Bryn Renner:
On the emotions of the team before the game:
"This whole week we preached we wanted to give this game ball to Coach Davis. We were saying all week that Coach Davis built this team."
On the special postgame moment with Coach Withers:
"It was my first start and his first experience out there too, so I think it was a special moment and I'll never forget it."
Senior Defensive End Quinton Coples
On winning the first game of the year:
"It was a great start to a new beginning. We had an opportunity to go out and get the job done."
On the team morale in the locker room:
"It was unbelievable. I have never seen a bunch of people as happy for each other and happy for the program and the university."
On Renner's performance:
"He was great, he showed a lot of confidence and a lot of poise."
Senior Wide Receiver Dwight Jones
On first touchdown pass from Renner:
"It was a great ball he threw. I just went up there and made the play."
Senior Running Back Ryan Houston
On getting back on the field:
"It feels good, I haven't been on the field in two years."
On performance of offensive line:
"This O-line is big and strong, and I love them all. Everytime me and Gio get the ball, we feel like there's always something there."
On performance of Giovani Bernard:
"We are gonna be a great running back tandem. It's a tandem that's gonna be hard to stop."
Freshman Running Back Giovani Bernard
On offensive line's performance:
"They deserve all the credit, they're the ones doing all of the hard work."
On Bryn Renner's performance:
"He did a great job today. He kept real poise in the huddle even with all of the distractions going on, he was the one who kept us together."
North Carolina vs. James Madison
James Madison Head Coach Mickey Matthews:
Opening Statement:
"Well, I think they really played well. They didn't turn the ball over, and they're much better than they were the last time we played them down here. They had better players. You know, we had a chance there. I think we played really good the second and third quarters. The offense was really good. We just couldn't make a big play, but the passing play. We thought that one particular route was coming up the worst. But they just gashed us. Their offensive guys just really got after us. We didn't play great, we thought we would play better on defense. They really manhandled us up front, surprised us. We tackled really poorly. We were upset with our guys during halftime with how poorly we tackled. I don't know if the field goal at the half would have helped. It would have certainly helped, but it was the kid's first game ever to kick and I thought [JMU quartback] Justin [Thorpe] played pretty well. The longer the game went, I thought he played pretty well... In the first quarter we had such bad field position. We were really bottled up."
On Field Position Battle:
"We did have field position problems on offense. We were on our own one-yard-line, and the first play of the game Dae'Quan [Scott] went the wrong way, so we were second and fifteen on our own ten, or whatever it was. You've got to work on your passing game when you're up against a team as good as they are."
On North Carolina's Physicality:
"The overwhelming thing about the game was how they manhandled us. They just gashed us. I don't know if someone's gashed us that bad in ten years. It's been long. No one has. Anytime you give them a big play it really hurts. It hurts your everything."
