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ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE MEDIA CONFERENCENovember 6, 2013Larry FedoraTHE MODERATOR: We now welcome North Carolina Coach Larry Fedora. COACH FEDORA: We are looking forward to coming back to the Tarpit and playing a well coached Virginia team. I think probably both teams are better football teams than the records indicate for various reasons. But we are real excited about getting back into the tar pit, playing in front of our fans and our students and looking forward to a great game. THE MODERATOR: Questions? Q. How did the team handle the news about Bryn and how do you expect them to respond going forward? COACH FEDORA: Well, you know we really‑‑ it's not something that we talked about as a team. I mean, but we've really never really talked about anybody's injuries on the team. So there was no reason to do it in this situation. The word gets around. Guys know what's going on. But there was no real reaction. But there never really is. I mean, nobody's woe is me, we're not going to be able to make it. In this sport, I mean, as physical a game as it is, guys understand everybody's one play away and the next guy that's why it's so important that the next guy be ready and be prepared to go. It's the nature of the beast in this business. I think the kids handled it well. And I expect them to play well Saturday. The fortunate thing for us is Marquise has played in the last 3 to 4 weeks and I'll be honest, a lot of times the offensive line doesn't even know we've changed quarterbacks out in a lot of situations because we're running them in and out so many different times they really didn't know. So that's probably a good thing. Q. Obviously you've seen this team a lot over the last couple of years, even going back to Southern Miss days. They have two new coordinators this year. Talk about how much different is their offense and regarding their defense, how much of it help to face Tenuta previously? COACH FEDORA: First of all, offensively they're really quite a bit different than they were for the other years that I've faced them. So they're doing much more with the quarterback. They've got a kid that can run and throw. They've got a very talented running back, and they're finding a lot of different ways. There are a lot of formations, lot of motion shifts, lot of movement to get you out of position and create problems for you. Defensively, it's a Tenuta coached defense. They're blitzing somewhere around 55 to 60percent of the time, probably a little bit more man blitzing than he's been in the past. He was more of a zone blitz team. But he's going to blitz and you put some heat on you. So we know that and we're trying to prepare for that. And I think it does help a little bit that we do have some experience with John. Q. From a distance it looks like Marquise is more of a running quarterback. Is that perception correct? And if so, do you hesitate to risk him in the running game with no experience behind him? COACH FEDORA: First of all I consider Marquise a dual‑threat quarterback, he can throw the ball real well but in the situations that we were using Marquise in a lot of times to bring a complement to the offense that we didn't necessarily have with Bryn is we brought more of some of the quarterback runs into the offense. That's not necessarily where we change what we do. I mean, we're going to do what we do. But I don't know that we will set there and decide that we're going to run the quarterback for a lot of, the majority of the game. We've got very good running backs that we can put the ball in their hands and make plays for them. But there will be instances I'm sure Marquise will run the football and we'll take advantage of some things. Q. What's the situation behind him on the depth chart. Who is next in line? COACH FEDORA: Kanler Coker would be the next guy that would go, and you're right he doesn't have any experience in games, but a lot of times your number two or number three guy doesn't have experience. So he's been preparing himself and he will be the number two and then we would have to make a decision after that. Q. You had marquee ready. As you say he played so it's not a huge thing that he has to take over. But now do you play Coker at all? Do you try to find situations to get him a little experience so he at least has a taste of it? COACH FEDORA: You would love to be able to do that, and we're prepared to do that. So we're just going to see how the game plays out and what's going on in the game but we're not afraid to play Kanler Coker, I assure you. Q. Coach, you've got two catches and two touchdowns from Quinshad Davis, one 50‑yarder and one a 2‑yarder, can you talk about him and the kind of threat he is and what are his best assets for you? COACH FEDORA: Quinshad became a playmaker for us last year midseason as he grew into the role as a true freshman and made a lot of plays for us. Last year, especially down the stretch, and he's walked right into that role this year and done a really nice job. He's got length going. He's over 6'3". He plays up above the rim, he'll go up and get the ball. He's definitely a threat down in the red zone in that area where the space is condensed. Uses his body well, runs good routes and he's a very competitive guy. That's the one thing that a lot of people don't know about Quinshad. He's ultra competitive. When that ball is in the air, he believes it's his ball and he's going to come down with it and that's a great characteristic to have as a wide receiver. Q. The other thing that I noticed that T.J. Logan got his first career touchdown for you. I assume that you would expect that to be the first of many. COACH FEDORA: Yes, I do. And it was great to see to finally‑‑ he's been through a lot, with the injury early in the year, kept him out of so many games and then just trying to get his legs back under him as we progress, I think the offensive staff has done a nice job of feeding him a little bit as we go. He's starting to feel comfortable. It was good to see that big old smile on his face. THE MODERATOR: Thank you. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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