University of North Carolina Athletics
Freddie Kitchens Meets With Media Prior To Fenway Bowl
December 19, 2024 | Football
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – As North Carolina prepares to play UConn in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl on December 28, Interim Head Football Coach Freddie Kitchens has been reiterating a key message to his team: Stay where your feet are, put the work in and don't waste an opportunity in front of you.
"Any time you have a new beginning, there will be excitement," Kitchens said. "Eventually, the excitement ends and it becomes about the work the person is putting in each day. The excitement turning into an opportunity to play is up to the individual player. It all goes back to being where your feet are each day in whatever you're doing. It comes down to who they want to become as a player and as a team."
Kitchens spoke with the media on Thursday, a week after eight-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick was named Carolina's news head coach. It has been a time of transition for the program, and Kitchens – who will coach the Bowl – said the players have remained mature and focused.
"The team knows me and understands me," Kitchens said. "They know how I operate; they know that I am a straight shooter, they know that I don't pull any punches and that I am willing to work. I am focused on helping our guys become better versions of themselves and serving Carolina in any way that I can. It's about an opportunity and the work you're willing to put in."
The Wasabi Fenway Bowl will be held on Saturday, December 28 at 11 a.m. (EST) at Fenway Park in Boston, Mass.
