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ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

November 15, 2017

Larry Fedora

Greensboro, North Carolina

COACH FEDORA: We're looking forward to getting back and playing at home, especially the last time our seniors will ever step out on the field. Western Carolina is a very well-coached team by Mark Speir. He's done a great job with these guys. They have had a heck of a season and have got some explosive players on their offense with the running back and quarterback and wide receiver. We have a lot of work to do.

Q. Can you just describe the emotion in the locker room after your win last week?
COACH FEDORA: Yeah, it was tremendous. The kids have continued to do the things that we ask them to do: Bring great attitudes to practice, have been full of energy and practiced really well and finally to not make the same mistakes that we have been making and get over the hump was a big deal on Thursday night. So it was very rewarding for our players.

Q. Why do you think that they were able to put everything together in that game?
COACH FEDORA: Well, it wasn't our best game but the No. 1 thing is we took care of the football. We didn't turn the ball over. That put us in a position to win the football game. We had a game-changing play on special teams.

Defensively, we didn't play our best game. We stopped them when we had to, and then offensively, we were able to grind it out at the end when we needed to.

Q. Talk about Coach Speir from Western Carolina. What type of coach is he? Just talk about him real quick.
COACH FEDORA: Well, I think he's been -- I think this is his sixth season there. I think he's established the culture that he wants to establish.

You know, they play offensively with tempo. They still have the quarterback run game involved. They have got option involved, multiple formations that create all kind of problems. Defensively the guys are very well-coached. They are going to run a 3-4 defense. They are very multiple in their blitz scheme and their special teams are solid.

I just think he's put together a very good football team that's very, very competitive.

Q. And just talk about your seniors. I know you guys are playing Senior Day on Saturday. I know this year has not gone the way they wanted it to be, but what do your seniors bring to the underclassmen?
COACH FEDORA: I think they have done a really good job of keeping -- under the circumstances of this season, keeping the team together and keeping them positive and practicing hard.

That's probably the thing; just their leadership that she brought to this program this year in these circumstances, because there are not many senior classes that had to deal with this, nor had they the fortitude to continue to lead in a positive manner.

Q. Anthony Ratliff-Williams continues to make big play after big play for you. Can you talk about his development?
COACH FEDORA: Yeah, Anthony came in as a quarterback and had never returned a kick before in his life and obviously didn't play receiver. He is really starting to develop into an extremely explosive wide receiver and kick returner. He's just learning the nuances of the position.

It's not just, you just go out and play it. He's learning how to run routes, how to set up a defender and how to use his leverage against him. You know, all those things, that you watch him develop and just know that he's going to get better and better each and every rep that he's out there.

Q. And your quarterback, Nathan Elliott, has given you some stability at the position it looks like. Can you talk a little about what he's done for you the last couple of weeks?
COACH FEDORA: I think Nathan has come in, and one, especially in this last game, as the stater, he was able to take care of the football which enabled us to get a win.

The week before against Miami, he played very similar in his decision-making process but we turned it over four times in the game, so you have no chance. He has settled in and I think he understands what we want to do. He's got good presence on the field and he's leading this team. So that's what we needed at this time.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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