Fedora Talks Heels In Spring Teleconference

UNC football coach Larry Fedora participated in the annual ACC football coaches spring teleconference Wednesday afternoon. Here is what the fifth-year Tar Heels coach had to say:

Opening Statement:

LARRY FEDORA: Yeah, we had accomplished some things we wanted to accomplish this spring under the circumstances with injuries and things you have to work around. I was pleased with our team's effort. I thought we got quite a bit of rest with a lot of guys that are going to play a factor in our success this next year. So I think we helped ourselves in that aspect. I think we'll get everybody back healthy before the beginning of the season which will be a big help for us.

Q. Larry, I was wondering if you could go back to your first spring at Carolina. What was the challenge of installing the up-tempo and how hard was it to kind of get everything done that you wanted that first spring?

LARRY FEDORA: Well, you know, for me, it wasn't the first time. Actually when I started this offense back at Middle Tennessee back in 1999, and they were a pro-style offense before, so had to install it there. Then I went to the University of Florida which had been running a pro-style offense, and had to transition there. Then went to Oklahoma State, very similar situation, and then to Southern Miss and North Carolina. So in each of those situations I learned what it was going to take to be able to install the offense and the problems it was going to create.

And I think the toughest thing that you find is that most -- if really fatigued the offensive players because they're not really aware of the conditioning and the shape that they've got to be able to be in to be able to just bounce back after one play to the next, to be able to process things quickly and move forward.

So did we get everything accomplished in that first spring? There is no doubt we didn't, but the kids got what it was going to be like and by the end of the spring what they're always able to do is to find out or at least be able to be aware of the benefits of the multi-tempoed offense.

Q. As you prepare for the months ahead and the season opener, how are you going to take into account the freshman quarterbacks possible role at Georgia, the return of Nick Chubb from injury and the new coaching staff when you look at their offense?

LARRY FEDORA: I think one of the biggest factors is the unknown of the coaching staff. We know where Kirby comes from, we know where Jim Chaney comes from. We know where all the guys come from on the staff. But it doesn't necessarily equate to this is exactly what they're going to run.

Probably the basis of their offense and defense, their special teams philosophy would be similar to what they've done in the past. But until it's tweaked and twisted and turned according to the talent that they have on campus, you really don't know what they're going to do. That's an unfortunate situation for us because there are seven teams we play that all have new coaching staffs.

But it is what it is. The Eason kid, if he's going to be the starter, I don't know who the starter is, I don't know if he's made the starter at this time, but we'll study the quarterbacks that are there and what they've done in the past and we'll also try to really look at just about where every coach has been in the past.

So if it really makes it tough, what we'll have to do a really good job of is making sure that we can adjust the line in the first game. So I think our players have to understand that there are going to be some things that we're going to have to adjust to as the game goes on and we'll face it as it comes.

Q. In that vein, how tough is it to get a feel of what the Coastal Division's going to be like this season with so many new coaches in that division with you?

LARRY FEDORA: Yeah, it will be different because you're not going to be able to get that feel in the summer. There is no way. You know with the situations of the schools have been consistent with what they're going to do, but the ones with the new staff, you won't know. You won't know until you get into the season and get a feel for what they're doing. So I think it's almost impossible to have a feel for what the Coastal Division will be like.

Q. I just wanted to follow up on that. Even though you don't have a sense of what that Coastal's going to be like, the fact that these three guys come from places that have had success and all proven Division I coaches, do you think your job got tougher with some of these guys coming in?

LARRY FEDORA: I don't think there is any doubt about it. I think the coast division got a lot stronger by the coaches that were hired and the pedigrees that they have behind them. It's pretty amazing the strength of this league as you look at the coaching staffs. So that makes not only the Coastal Division stronger, that makes the ACC stronger, which is what we want to do on a yearly basis.

Q. Larry, one thing that you guys talked about last year was you were having the success as the way that the players came together in the off-season, and you saw a new camaraderie among them. What's it been like now this off-season that they've had the success and they've gone through an ACC Championship game and now expectations are higher? What have you seen from the players just among themselves in terms of maybe their mindset and attitude?

LARRY FEDORA: I think the thing that you can see in all of their eyes is that they've tasted it. They haven't -- they got a little taste of what it's like, so they know what it's going to take to get there. They understand how important the leadership is. They understand the importance of the chemistry on our football team. They know we have the athletes to be able to get there, but there are some intangibles that are involved that they control that they have to make sure that they do control it.

So this summer and on through fall camp will determine really what kind of football team we're going to have. So they're aware of that. I think they're excited about it. I think they've got a pretty good blueprint of what they need to do. I think time will tell.

Q. Coach, I'm doing some pre-draft stuff, and I was wondering what it was like guarding Tyler Boyd at Pitt the last three years and were you at all pleased that he gave up his senior season?

LARRY FEDORA: Yeah, I mean, I'm glad he's moving on to the NFL. There is no doubt about that. I don't know if Pat's happy about that, but I'm happy about it. Tremendous player, just a very, very talented young man. I don't know him on a personal basis, but I can tell you from trying to defend him from year to year, he's an extraordinary wide receiver.

He's very smooth in everything he does, and I'm going to compare him, and I know people may go crazy, but I'm going to compare him to Dez Bryant because I coached Dez at Oklahoma State. As far as his strength in his hands and in making competitive catches, and I'm talking about catches when you've got a guy, a defender on you, not when you're wide open. He really has great strength in his hands, great strength and a great will to make the catch when he's being contested. I think that is his strength. I don't know what his speed is. It's obviously good enough. I don't know his jumping ability all that, but I know the kid makes competitive catches and those are the kind of guys that are going to have success at the next level.

Q. Let me make sure I heard right, you said Dez Bryant, right?

LARRY FEDORA: Yes, that's correct.

Q. I was wondering if you have any opinions or thoughts about the possibility of changing over to having coaches be able to watch video in the booth and at halftime and on the sidelines?

LARRY FEDORA: Yeah, I know that they've put it on hold for this upcoming season, but I think it's definitely coming. I think that we'll eventually get into the world of technology. I mean, right now it's a situation is you have people in the box that are writing it all down by hand and transferring it from that to typing it into a computer after the game and then downloading and all those things. So really we're doing things the same way we did them 50 years ago and we don't have to.

I'm excited about the concept. We've done it some in our practices this year, this morning to get a feel for the advantages. I really think it's going to be a good situation. Whether we use it on the sideline or not, I'm okay with just in the box and in the locker room. I think it is something that we are going towards, and I think we need to get there. I think it can be an advantage for you as a coach, no doubt.

Q. Can you see this becoming one school that has a lot more equipment than others?

LARRY FEDORA: I think that's still something that has to be addressed. I think that's got to be assessed by each league and how the league is going to handle it. I think it's really important if your press box for the home team is going to have eight connections for the iPads or whatever, tablets or whatever they're going to use, then the visiting team's press box is going to have to have the same connections. I think they're going to have to make it equal.

Now, as much as you can. There is no equality in college football. I mean, that's just not the way it is. You do the best you can.

So I think the leagues will handle it the right way when it comes down. I think having this year to prepare for it coming I think will help because I think everybody will start getting into place the ideas that they're going to have to have.