*Note: Williams and Frncis press conferences are posted inside this article.

CHAPEL HILL - North Carolina Coach Roy Williams and freshman point guard Jeremiah Francis met with the media at the Smith Center on Friday morning ahead of the Tar Heels’ ACC matchup with Georgia Tech on Saturday.

Among the topics discussed were Cole Anthony’s status, the 1991 Final Four, George Mason, Joel Berry II comparisons and much more.

Here are some snippets from what the UNC coach and freshman had to say:

*Anthony has been missing from action since UNC’s 56-47 loss at UVA on Dec. 8. The freshman point guard underwent an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee on Dec. 16 to repair a partially torn meniscus.

The surgery is expected to keep him out for 4-6 weeks and, as of right now, Williams said he is unsure of when the ACC Preseason Freshman of the Year will return as he has yet to do anything in practice.

“The whole thing is, we’re not going to try to push him and get him out there any earlier,” Williams said. “He’s got to feel completely safe about it himself. Everybody said the surgery (went) great, his rehab is going great, I really haven’t talked to him, I really haven’t. I guess Monday is the three-week mark, I think that’s right. So, I have no idea.

*During the 2009-2010 season, UNC had nine players miss game time due to injuries. In comparison, eight players on this year’s team have already missed action due to injury, something Williams says has aided in a far from ideal start to the season.

“It’s been really hard,” Williams said. “If you think about it, heck, Sterling (Manley) was going to be in our top six at worst. Cole’s probably and rightly so and truthfully our best player. There’s him and then Anthony and Jeremiah up to that point”

“...It has been difficult, but I was talking to another coach the other day and he said it is the most weird thing I’ve ever seen but, and both of us said this at the same time, nobody’s going to feel sorry for North Carolina. So, I realize that but that has made it a more difficult season for us.”

*Williams is just one win away from passing his mentor and former UNC Coach Dean Smith on the all-time wins list. He is currently sitting at 879 career wins, which is tied with Smith for fourth best all-time.

On Friday, Williams was asked about first facing Smith in the 1991 Final Four when he was in his third year as the head coach at Kansas. Williams’ Jayhawks won the game, 79-73, in a game in which Smith was ejected for receiving two technical fouls.

Williams said the build up to the game in particular was too focused on he and Smith’s relationship.

“It was a pain in the rear end because that’s all everybody wanted to talk about in the lead up to the game as opposed to talking about our teams,” Williams said. “So, in ‘93 when it happened again, coach and I got together before and said we’re not going to talk about it at all.”

He also added that the 1991 game and UNC’s win over Yale on Monday night brought him somewhat similar feelings afterwards.

“I didn’t get a chance in my own mind in ‘91 to have my team enjoy the game and, because of Anthony’s (injury) the other night, I don’t think my team enjoyed the game.”

*Another interesting tidbit from Williams’ press conference was the fact that he said he almost took the George Mason head coaching job when he was an assistant under Smith at UNC.

Williams said he was close to signing a contract, but decided against it at the last minute.

“I remember turning down George Mason,” he said. "The AD was coming down to meet with me and sign the contract and I was going to go back and I called him at 6:00 and told him, ‘don’t come.’”

Smith’s advice helped reassure Williams that he made the right decision.

“I called coach Smith at 10:00 (am), because I knew he wasn’t going to be up at 6:00 and told him I’ve got some good news and bad news either way you look at it,” Williams said. "He said, ‘What's that?’ and I said, ‘Coach, I called and told them I wasn’t coming because it didn’t feel like it was the right thing.’

“And, I’ll never forget he said, ‘Everything’s going to be fine. I love the way you’re patient. Everything’s going to work out one of these days. A job’s going to open up that’s going to have your name written all over it and be staring you right in the face. And that was in May and that July I was named the new coach at Kansas.”

*In high school, Francis missed his last two seasons with knee injuries before finally returning to the court in UNC’s 56-47 loss at Virginia. Since his return, the Reynoldsburg, OH, native is averaging 6.8 points, 1.6 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 19.4 minutes per game.

Not only that, but Francis got his first start in the Tar Heels’ 70-67 win over Yale on Dec. 30, showing just how integral he is becoming to this team, especially with Anthony still out injured.

From dealing with two bad knee injuries and not playing for 1,000 days to now starting for UNC, the last few months in particular have been a whirlwind for Francis, but one he has enjoyed nonetheless.

“It’s been very fast,” Francis said. “I believe I’ve been giving a lot but I believe I can handle it. Like I said, it’s been a lot, but I’m just going to keep listening to coach and everybody and keep doing my job to the best of my ability.”

*After the Tar Heels’ win over Yale, junior forward Garrison Brooks compared Francis to former UNC point guard Joel Berry II, jokingly calling him “Joel Berry III.”

It mainly comes from Francis’ physical style of play which, in Brooks’ eyes, is very similar to that of Berry.

For Francis, he appreciates the comparison and is working to live up to it.

“I believe I am physical and I’m a tough guard,” Francis said. “I’m always trying to get down and get in the paint, I believe that’s where the best plays come from. Just being able to make plays around the basket and get my teammates open and just do my job to the best of my ability and that’s what coach wants me to do and that’s what I’m going to keep doing.

“But I’ll take the comparison. He was a great guard here, so I’m just trying to live up to his expectations.”