University of North Carolina Athletics
Tar Heels Anxious For Home Game
November 13, 2014 | Football
By Emily Fedewa, GoHeels.com
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - This weekend is a homecoming in more ways than one for the North Carolina football team.
Saturday not only marks UNC's Homecoming celebration, but it also marks the football team's first home game in almost a month.
The Tar Heels have played three of their last four games on the road and haven't been in Kenan Stadium since the middle of October. Now they're ready to be back in the shadow of the Bell Tower.
“They're really fired up. They're really anxious to get back out there and play and prove to people who they are and to be able to do it at home, that's special,” head coach Larry Fedora said after Wednesday's practice. “We're running out of games and there's only two more opportunities that you're going to be in that stadium, and for some of these guys it'll be the last time ever.”
While the Tar Heels are happy to back on their home turf in Kenan Stadium this weekend, Fedora knows that the location won't make a difference unless they show up ready to play on Saturday.
“It doesn't matter where you play or who you play or what time or what the surface is,” Fedora said. “You're going to have 11 guys out there, they're going to have 11 guys out there and whoever handles it the best and makes the fewest mistakes and is the most physical team is going to be successful.”
Junior quarterback Marquise Williams wants to be on the winning side after a tough loss to Miami to start the last month of the regular season.
Lack of execution from the offense, especially on third down, hurt the Tar Heels in Coral Gables and put an end to their two game winning streak and any momentum heading into the bye week.
But Williams believes that all the rest that UNC was able to get during its week off did him a lot of good, and he's ready to finish off the rest of the regular season strong.
“(Resting last week) was awesome, it felt great, and I'm back at 100 percent,” Williams said. “I'm walking normal now, I was walking around like an old man from all the bumps and bruises, but thank god I'm healthy and I can finish off these three games strong.”
To do that, he'll need to help his offensive line and stimulate Carolina's running game by finding holes more than he did against Miami.
“If (the offensive line) misses a block, (I've got to) make somebody miss. I didn't run out of the pocket like I thought I should've (against Miami), there were some holes that I usually hit but I didn't and that comes back to me,” Williams said. “Getting more confidence in that run game and helping those guys out (is also important). I'm excited to get back and help them out this week and I know they're excited to redeem themselves and do whatever they need to do.”
And the Tar Heels hope they will be able to do just that on Saturday and come away with a homecoming win to start the end of the regular season.
