Players Tuesday: Tomon Fox, Anderson & Corrales

CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina is getting closer to finally playing another game, as the Tar Heels head to Boston College this weekend for their first contest in three weeks.

On Tuesday morning, three Tar Heels were made available to the media to discuss getting ready to face the Eagles, the challenges of having so much time in between games, the NCAA rule that allows players to get this season back and much more.

Here are interviews with Tomon Fox, Brian Anderson and Beau Corrales plus notes and pulled quotes from what they had to say:

*The NCAA announced in August that this season won’t count against eligibility for any college players, so everyone on the Tar Heels will get the season back if they choose. That even includes someone like Tomon Fox, who is playing an important role right now in his fifth season at UNC. Keep in mind, Fox played 75 snaps in the first two games of the 2016 season – a loss to Georgia in Atlanta and a win at Illinois – before suffering a season-ending injury necessitating a redshirt.

Including the Syracuse game nearly three weeks ago, Fox has played 1,887 snaps as a Tar Heel, a figure that could hit 2,500 when this season ends. But the rule allows him to return to UNC if he wants to and if the program will have him. So, has he thought about the rule at all and how it might affect his future?

“I thought about it a little bit when I first heard about it, but not too much because I don’t want to get that in the back of my mind and use it as a crutch like, ‘I got another year,’” Fox said. “I’m trying to play this year here like it’s my last and then do what I do from there.”

*Boston College scored the last 17 points in its 24-21 win over Texas State this past weekend, and that the Eagles stormed back as they did signals to the Tar Heels once again the importance of playing all four quarters and finishing out games.

“That’s a huge thing for us to make sure we play every quarter, from the first to last, in that we never try to take any plays off,” Fox said. “Because, in this league anybody can beat anybody for real, so you just can’t take nobody lightly. Even if you’re up big, it don’t matter, you’ve still got to play to the end of the whistle.”

*The Heels had consecutive Saturdays to themselves, so what did Fox do with that spare time?

“I took that time, I got a lot of rest in that day,” Fox said. “I had to because I knew we have a lot of work ahead of us.”

*Starting left guard Joshua Ezeudu is back at practice with the Tar Heels and is likely to play this weekend at BC. He might be the team’s best offensive lineman and is certainly its most versatile. Anderson is thrilled to have Ezeudu back next to him.

“It’s great. He was back practicing today and we had real good time lining up next to each other,” Anderson said. “His role is having even more depth on the offensive line, especially at the guard position, something that we can confidently roll guys in. We’ve got Ed (Montilus), we’ve got Josh and other guys we can consistently roll in.

“But having him back today was just fun being able to get back and communicate with him and play off his tendencies, so it was definitely good to have him back.”

*What are the Heels getting back with Ezeudu healthy and playing?

“He’s just got great feet and great football IQ,” Anderson said. “There’s a lot of times where the defense will bring a blitz and we’ve got to react on the go, and Josh has the ability to think and re-direct. And that’s something that, as a center playing off of his tendencies, too, we do a good of working together with.”

*The NCAA announced in August that this season won’t count against eligibility for any college players, so everyone on the Tar Heels will get the season back if they choose. That means Corrales could theoretically be a Tar Heel again next year, though unlike Tomon Fox who is in his fifth season at UNC, Corrales is in his fourth year in Chapel Hill. Corrales played as a true freshman, landing in the rotation past the mid-point of the 2017 campaign. He played 218 snaps that season and then lost three games in 2018 as a result of a suspension for his involvement in a situation in which some players sold shoes given to them by the school.

So, overall, and including the opening win over Syracuse, Corrales has played 1,242 snaps at UNC with a high of 668 last season. Perhaps he might want to stick around and play more while also enhancing his pro potential. So, what are his thoughts about the waiver and has he given it much consideration?

“I obviously knew about the rule, and it’s a very interesting one because I definitely feel for those spring sports from this past spring that didn’t get an extra opportunity, so it’s unique that they are giving it to us,” Corrales said. “But I haven’t put any thoughts to that. My focus is all on trying to win games for 2020 and whatever happens, I’ll cross that bridge whenever I get there.”

*Through two games, wins at Duke and at home versus Texas State, Boston College’s defense has registered six sacks, 22 QB hurries, picked off three passes and has seven PBUs. So, what has Corrales seen on film from the Eagles’ defense?

“They’re a physical group,” Corrales said. “They’ve got some key guys on their team that like to play pretty physical and like to hit. They play really sound. The coverages that they mainly play, their two main coverages, they’re really sound in what they run. They’re going to be a really technically sound team and we just have to come at them instinctively and fast and keep the tempo on them and keep the pace up.”

*Josh Downs’ name came up a lot in fall camp as one of the true freshmen that would be on the field quite a bit early on this season. He played some in the opener versus Syracuse catching a pass for just one yard. Corrales, however, says Downs continues to impress and it’s a matter of time before he makes an impact.

“Josh Downs is always, since he’s been here is working his butt off and has been putting the time in,” Corrales said. “I’d love to see Josh get a chance to prove what he can do.”