GoHeels Exclusive: Press Conference Notes

Larry Fedora
University of North Carolina Football v Georgia Tech
Bobby Dodd Stadium
Atlanta, GA
Saturday, September 30, 2017

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

August 28, 2018 | Football, Featured Writers

By: Pat James

By Pat James, GoHeels.com

With the first game week of the North Carolina football team's 2018 season underway, Larry Fedora held his first weekly press conference on Monday.

Here are five notes from the press conference, just five days before the Tar Heels open the season at 4 p.m. Saturday at California:

Travel plans

Fedora said Monday that the visit to Berkeley, Calif., presents a challenge he's never faced as a head coach – a trip across three time zones. To prepare his team for that, he said he's consulted coaches and sleep specialists, among others.

"You name it," he said, "I've talked to them."

Fortunately, Fedora said, UNC makes the trip at the beginning of the season, as opposed to the middle.

"If I had to pick, I would choose for it to be at the beginning of the season rather than in the season," he said. "A five-and-a-half-hour flight, or basically 11 hours in the air, is not something I would want our team to deal with during the middle of a season."

Backup quarterback battle continues

Three weeks after he announced Nathan Elliott as the team's starting quarterback, Fedora said he hasn't reached a decision on who Elliott's backup will be early in the season.

"We'll settle it out here probably in the next few days," Fedora said. "That's when we've got to make a final decision. We're starting to get there, I'm just not ready to make that call yet."

Freshmen Cade Fortin and Jace Ruder figure to be the frontrunners for the backup job. Senior Manny Miles could also see snaps, depending on the situation.

Immediate contributors

Fedora isn't exactly sure how many true freshmen will play Saturday. But he said "quite a few" will travel with the team.

"I think we're going to have some definite guys who get on the field as true freshmen on both offense and defense and then definitely on special teams," Fedora said.

He then listed the names of 11 freshmen who could contribute. They were William Barnes, Dyami Brown, Chris Collins, Joshua Ezeudu, Antoine Green, DeAndre Hollins, Trey Morrison, Bryson Richardson, Jahlil Taylor, Javon Terry and Javonte Williams.

When referencing Barnes, Fedora said there's "no doubt" he'll play at some point Saturday. Barnes and Billy Ross have been battling for the starting right guard spot.

Riding the hot hand

During his seven seasons at Carolina, Fedora has primarily utilized a running-back-by-committee approach. And on Monday, he said that will be the case against the Golden Bears.

"We'll play multiple guys," he said. "I think we could probably play up to three running backs throughout this game. As far as how many reps each one is getting, how many carries, how many touches, all those (things), a lot of that will depend on them and what they're doing in the game."

The expected rotation for Saturday will feature Jordon Brown, Antonio Williams and Javonte Williams. Brown is the only one who played for the Tar Heels last season, when he led the team with 613 rushing yards.

Antonio Williams, the Ohio State junior transfer, has shown flashes of potential at the college level. But before Javonte Williams arrived on campus this spring, the coaching staff didn't know how his skills would translate. He's impressed, though.

"The thing that has struck me the most is he's so mature," Fedora said. "He has handled a lot of situations that we've put him in really well. They haven't flustered him. It doesn't mean he doesn't make any mistakes. He's made mistakes, but the way he's handled those mistakes has been very, very mature, not like a true freshman.

"He did that in the spring when he was still supposed to be in high school. So he's a different individual mentally."

Fedora also praised Javonte Williams for how he's performed in pass protection.

Special teams starters

Fedora said a depth chart won't be finalized until Thursday or Friday. But he revealed who will be starting at a few positions.

After making 9-of-14 field goals and 37-of-38 extra points last season, Freeman Jones will be UNC's starting placekicker again. Hunter Lent will be the starting punter. Dazz Newsome will return punts after serving as the primary backup to M.J. Stewart last season.

Fedora also said Anthony Ratliff-Williams, who has often discussed with reporters and the coaching staff his desire to return punts in addition to kickoffs, will be Newsome's backup.

"He's always pushing me for everything," said Fedora of Ratliff-Williams. "He wants to be out there with everything. Every chance you can put the ball in his hands, he wants the ball in his hands. That's one of the things I love about Ant, you know, is that he wants the ball in his hands and he knows he can make plays and he can help this football team."