University of North Carolina Athletics
Postgame Quotes - NC A&T
September 13, 2015 | Football
UNC HEAD COACH LARRY FEDORA
Opening Statement
“It was good to get a win. It's obviously good to come into our stadium, in the Tar Pit, and play well in front of our crowd and set the tone for the way we want to play here throughout the season.”
On the team's performance
“We got a lot of guys a lot of reps. We cleaned up some things from the first game, mistakes that were made as far as turning the football over. We took care of the ball tonight. We had much fewer communication problems. Much fewer pre-snap penalties. That was much better. And then we got to play a lot of kids, which is going to pay off down the road because all those guys are going to have to help us at some point, so every rep they get is critical for our success.”
“Very pleasing. We challenged him. You got to take care of the football and he responded well throughout the week in practice. He came out and played like we expected him to play.”
On playing Mitch Trubisky
“It was designed by me, yes, but nobody knew that. But yeah, I had already made up my mind going into the game that I was going to do that, yes, but nobody else knew it. I wanted to get him in early. I wanted him to get some meaningful reps. I didn't want to tell him that he was going, so if a situation happens like that in the season, he's prepared and ready to go.”
On the quarterbacks
“I thought all of our quarterbacks played well. I thought Mitch [Trubisky] played well. I thought Caleb [Henderson] did a nice job when he was in there. I was pleased with that position.”
NORTH CAROLINA A&T HEAD COACH ROD BROADWAY
Opening statement:
“Well, it was a butt-kicking, actually. And they were too good for us, too fast for us, and, you know, we made way too many mistakes in the first half. They really gave them the opportunity to score too many easy points. You know, we had two interceptions, we had a fumble they picked up and took down to the two-yard line. We had two shanked punts. You don't do that against a good football team and expect to win. Now, I mean, we can't do that against people in our league and expect to win, and that's why the score's like it was early in the ballgame because we helped them more than they needed. We can't dig those type of holes because we don't have the firepower to come back against a team like North Carolina in a game like this so we gotta eliminate some of the mistakes. But, you know, I'm disappointed but I'm not discouraged. I think if we go back to work and correct some things we are going to have the chance of having a pretty decent football team. Right now, we're a long ways away and we have a lot of things to work on. I think tonight is a clear indication that we do have a lot of things to work on and we must get better as a football team, defensively, offensively. I mean, we turned two guys completely wide open in the first half and gave them touchdowns, which is totally unlike us. We turned the ball over three times in the first half, that's totally unlike us, so maybe lights are too bright, maybe they played too fast for us, but I don't know. We just made way too many mistakes to be successful against these type people.”
On the team's performance
“We were just making mistakes that really put us behind the eight ball. I mean, that was a game worth of mistakes in the first half there, in the first 22 minutes I think. You can't do that.”
On the decision to start Kwashaun Quick
“I think Quick gives us the opportunity to do some things offensively. I thought Quick came in for the first game and made some good plays, and then [Lamar] Raynard came in and took a couple of beautiful passes.”
On coaching at his alma mater
“I don't have any feelings about that. I'm grateful for the opportunity to be back here. This isn't about me, this is about giving our kids an opportunity and the experience of playing against some of the good teams in the country, and that's what I wanted to do.”
UNC Player Quotes
Kendrick Singleton, TE/WR
On tonight's win
“I think it was a great team win, all the things the coaches have been talking about this whole week. From the loss last week, you know, I think we went out as a unit and did everything we were supposed to do. I'm very thankful, I'm very proud of all the guys out there on the field. Nobody sees what we do at practice and the type of work we put in. I love to win.”
On touchdown
“It was in the snug set, and Coach called the play that we have been practicing all week, great looks on film. Ran outside, got a good rub, and we stole a good ball, and it was that.”
On bouncing back after last week's loss against South Carolina
“It feels real good because this year everybody on the team had a lot of expectations for us as a team, and I think bouncing back shows how strong we are mentally, how tough we are mentally…Time to play ball. It's just the start.”
Brandon Fritts, TE
On the win
“It feels good, it feels good to get in that win column, and I think we really played well tonight, set the tone for the rest of the season hopefully.”
On touchdowns
“We just went with our 'thunder package,' and our offensive coordinator made some good play calls….and I was able to make some good plays.
On “disappointment” from last week
“I wouldn't say it was so much disappointment. I think we kept our heads up, we know we played well last week, obviously they came out on top. We knew we should have won that game, we thought…We really came together this week, and that's what we're going to keep doing the rest of the season.”
Elijah Hood, Tailback
On A&T affecting his performance
“They're a tough football team for sure. They gave a great effort. They did a good job of wrapping up and tackling low. They made me work for every yard I got out there. It's a testament of who they are and what they were trying to accomplish out there. I'm just happy we got the win.”
On not wanting to not start the season 0-2
“Every play should be the most important play to us, every play should feel like that. No matter what kind of season we're having, as a team, we should always have that urgency to make plays and to score and to hold them down to zero points…That's how you win football games as a team.”
