(Note: The first minute of Brown's opening statement did not record, but we will soon have the full transcript available)

CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina Coach Mack Brown met with the media Wednesday afternoon to discuss his football team’s first scrimmage, which took place Tuesday, and other issues surrounding the team in the COVID era as it’s less than three weeks from the opener at home versus Syracuse.

The Tar Heels did not practice Wednesday but have held 13 practices and the scrimmage so far since camp opened Aug. 6.

Here are some notes and quotes from some of what Brown had to say:

*The Tar Heels are tested for COVID-19 every Monday, and once again this week, no player tested positive. So, no UNC football player has tested positive in around six weeks since the school paused athletic activities in mid-July.

“We don’t get into numbers normally, but we did not have a positive test again on Monday,” Brown said, referring to the latest testing. “So, I’m really, really proud of these guys. They have really done of taking this serious.”

*Junior offensive lineman Billy Ross has decided to opt out and will transfer after he graduates. Ross played just 98 snaps last season after playing 586 as a redshirt freshman in 2018.

*The Tar Heels held their first scrimmage Tuesday inside Kenan Stadium. It was the first time they’ve done an actual live football game-like situation since the bowl game victory over Temple last December. So if that wasn’t enough to get used to again, Brown told the players the environment was a lot like what they will play in when the games actually arrive.

“It was new and different that you have to think about what COVID’s going to do for a ballgame,” UNC’s coach said. “So, number one, we’re anticipating very few fans in the stands or none, for our opening game against Syracuse. We actually told the guys to look up and this is what the crowd’s gonna look like, or probably is. We tried to play crowd noise, we tried to play music.”

Brown said they plan on having the in-game stadium entertainment staff on hand for the scrimmage Saturday so the players can get used to how strange it will be with the music added, PA announcer, etc.

Officials wore masks and used hand-held whistles, which Brown said went very well.

*Brown said the referees told him they now have their schedule over the first four weeks of the season, and with the team having finally scrimmaged and the ACC close to announcing some game times, “I do think from everything I’m hearing, I’m feeling more like we’re going to play right now than ever before," he said. "They’re talking about game times with TV… Seeing the NC State (Virginia Tech) game move is a positive people are still trying to make this craziness work out so we can play.

“So, I do think for our players and our coaches, this is really the first time that everybody feels like we’re getting this close to playing and this is really going to happen.”

*As for the scrimmage, Brown said the defense is ahead of the offense, and even some of the offensive coaches somewhat joked that the defense knows what they’re running, so they have an advantage. The offense had some big plays but didn’t sustain as many long drives as the staff wants to see. Brown was clear to note that the offense didn’t do poorly, but with their very high expectations, it still has plenty of work to do.

*That 10 starters are back on offense is huge, especially when trying to get ready for a season under the current conditions and circumstances. They are quite seasoned, so they know so much about what they're doing. The bigger issue is depth on that side of the ball, and the staff is still looking for some. Finding the third running back is still a process, figuring out who will make the wide receiver rotation is as well, and getting to eight offensive linemen is a challenge right now.

The goal is 10, but that’s rather ambitious, especially now that Billy Ross will no longer be a part of the equation. Brown said sophomore Ed Montilus is the sixth lineman and has been playing well. Brian Anderson has separated himself some from redshirt freshman Ty Murray at center in part because Murray has been ganged up some.

Brown has been pleased with sophomore Asim Richards’ play at left tackle. He’s the only new starter on offense but has taken ownership of that spot and continues to improve each day. The player that has impressed Brown the most so far this month has been Josh Ezeudu, who is the current starter at left guard, but as we recently reported, is getting in work all over the offensive line.

With Montilus playing so well, Ezeudu is an option to spell giys everywhere else except center, so then Montilus would just into Ezeudu’s left guard spot.

“We call him, ‘EZ,’ and EZ is the starting left guard, the backup right guard and the backup right tackle, and really the backup left tackle,” Brown said. “He’s playing everywhere because Ed Montilus has done a good job, and when Ed steps in at left guard, that lets EZ go rest somebody at the other places.”

Murray, by the way, missed two practices before the four-day pause last week but hasn’t yet returned. “We’re hoping he’ll get back soon, but he’s been limited in practice.”

*True freshman wide receiver and kick returner Josh Downs will get on the field against Syracuse, Brown said. The Georgia native has drawn plenty of positives from his teammates when they’ve been asked about which newcomers have impressed.

“Josh Downs is really good,” Brown said. “He’s going to play and play a lot.”

Brown was later asked about the kick return game, and Downs’ name came up quickly then, too.

“Josh Downs would be in there…,” he said. “But Josh has got great speed and quickness, so I feel like that’s a position he may very well jump into this year.”

*The position groups Brown believes are the best on the team right now are the secondary and linebacker. He loves the depth in the secondary, especially with Trey Morrison’s ability to basically play all five spots, and with sophomores Eugene Asante and Khadry Jackson ready to play plenty without much of a drop off, lienbacker is in excellent shape.

*Sam Howell has slimmed down some, which Brown says was evident in the scrimmage. Howell moved better on his feet than last season, which is good because it’s more a part of the offense than what Phil Longo could show a year ago.

“It’s obvious he’s lost some weight," Brown said.

*The backup quarterback spot right now is becoming one of the more interesting battles of the preseason. Jace Ruder has been in the program the longer than anyone else in the room, but hasn’t received a ton of reps because injuries ended each of his first two seasons after playing a total of 36 snaps. The redshirt sophomore is competing with true freshman Jacolby Criswell, who has been impressive since day one.

“Both are doing really well,” Brown said. “Jace and Jacolby are both competing hard. Right now, Jefferson Boaz would be redshirted, and that’s what we talked to him about when he came in, unless there are some injuries.

“But we feel like that competition is really, really good at backup quarterback. We all forget, without spring practice, Jace has been hurt both falls. He hasn’t played a lot of football. He gets better every day, but we are also very excited about what we see out of Jacolby Criswell. And they alternated with the white and the grey team throughout the day yesterday. Sam took all the snaps with the blue team.”