Players Report: Gemmel, Ezeudu, And Tomon Fox

CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina opens its highly anticipated season Friday night at Virginia Tech, and with an atypical week, that means the players were made available to the media Monday morning instead of Tuesday, which is customary once the games portion of the schedule begins.

UNC quarterback Sam Howell was one of the four players that met with the media following Monday’s practice, though we ran the video of his interview and some notes and pulled quotes separately.

Below, we have video interviews along with some notes and pulled quotes from junior offensive lineman Joshua Ezeudu, senior linebacker Jeremiah Gemmel, and graduate outside linebacker Tomon Fox:

*Virginia Tech scored 45 points, gained 495 yards, and amassed 25 first downs against the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill last October. Carolina won the game by 11 points, but the defense is well aware the Hokies are plenty capable to giving them problems even though Tech lost some key players from that offense.

“The first game of the season is always kind of hard because you don’t have any tendencies on the team, you’re kind of going off past seasons with the things they do," Gemmel said. "But for me, I think it’s looking at the personnel they have coming back, the QBs they have coming back, the tight end they have coming back, the pair of running backs they have coming back.

“I think that has a lot to do with the personnel, and I know all of the tight ends are coming back. Looking at the guys they had last year and the guys who played snaps helps us narrow down the personnel that they’ll be using.”

*That the Hokies have scored 43 and 45 points versus the Tar Heels in their last two meetings versus each other certainly feeds some of Carolina’s motivation this week on the defensive side of the ball.

“It definitely does,” Gemmel replied, agreeing it helps with motivation. “For the past two years, they’ve came here, and when we went up there two years ago, they were able to run the ball, to throw the ball, and really do what they wanted to offensive against us.

“We need to help the offense this Friday with keeping them backed up, keeping them with good field position to help the offense. I definitely think that plays into the fact that everybody on the team, like Tomon (Fox) and guys who’ve been here when we’ve played them for the last two years know that they’ve been able to throw the ball on us and run the ball on us and pretty much do whatever.”

*The Tar Heels practiced Sunday evening under the lights at Kenan Stadium to simulate playing Friday (6 pm kick) at Lane Stadium. They also blared music and crowd noise into the stadium. No doubt, Gemmel says it felt like game week and it felt pretty good.

“Everybody’s glued in and locked in,” Gemmel said. “It feels like a game week again. It really feels we’re playing ball. And it was Sunday… when we were thinking about the game and having game energy. Even last night, when we were practicing later at night since we play at around 6 o’clock (Friday), we had the lights out there in Kenan, so it just felt good to know that football’s back.”

*It has been nearly two years since any of the Tar Heels have played in a normal college football environment. And getting back into the fray at Lane Stadium is a huge challenge, but the kids are certainly excited to get up there. So, what are Gemmel’s thoughts about a return to normal with a full houses and rowdy atmospheres at games?

“Sometimes we play really loud music in the stadium, sometimes we play really loud fan noise around Kenan just to get a little feel to make it difficult for the offense and also for the defense. Because I know even when we’re on the defensive side of the ball, a home crowd likes to get quiet for the offense, but playing up there at V-Tech, they don’t get quiet, they stay loud.

“I think it’s helping bot h the offense and the defense to get a little noise in the stadium and the practice facility to help us on Friday.”

*Ezeudu and three other UNC offensive linemen are entering their third season as starters up front, plus Asim Richards is a second-year starter. How does that help the Tar Heels going into an opener, especially one in which the game will be played in a wild and loud atmosphere, this challenging some of the communication on the field?

“I feel great because you know we have a lot of starts under all of our belts,” Ezeudu said. “We've also been in some big-time games like the orange bowl, the game in Miami. We learned a lot so, I feel very good about how if we want, we'll still be focused and not let the noise, or the crowd, or the fans affect any one of us.”

*The Tar Heels have had success versus Tech’s defense the last two seasons, scoring 97 points, gaining 1,147 yards, and accumulating 54 first downs. But the Hokies have made some additions to that side of the ball, and in year two under DC Justin Hamilton, likely will be much improved. What has Ezeudu seen from the Hokies on film and what does he expect from their defense?

"They're big, they have a lot of good defensive linemen,” he said. “They have number 8 (Amare Barno), whose real big, he's long. They also have Jordan Williams, who just came from Clemson. He's big, strong (and) powerful.

"They have the same guys too that were already on their team, so we know that they have a very good defense, and they are also a very good team. We know we have our hands full, and we have to come there and be ready for a fight."

*Much has been written and said about UNC’s second unit along the offensive line, that the Tar Heels finally have depth there with as many as 10 players capable of playing a major role if necessary. What are Ezeudu’s thoughts about the second group?

“I think that probably one of the biggest improvements that happened in our team in camp in spring is that both on the offense and defense that our second team guys have made that big jump, so now we have way more depth than we've ever had in the first two years with coach. So yes, I feel very good that they can easily come in, and you won't even be able to tell the difference.”

*Had COVID never been a thing, Tomon Fox’s UNC career would have ended following the Orange Bowl. But the NCAA decided to give every athlete back last year, so Fox is still on the team and gearing toward his sixth opener. Remember, he played 75 snaps in UNC’s first two games of the 2016 season, a loss to Georgia in Atlanta, and a win at Illinois. So what are his emotions, what’s going through his mind as his final opener approaches?

“I’m just trying to be the best leader I can out there, and just make the most of it,” Fox said. “This is my last year, my real last year. I gotta be able to go out there and make some plays and help my teammates get the win.”

*The Hokies have scored 88 points and gained 985 yards versus the Tar Heels in their last two meetings. So, what stands out about Tech’s offense to Fox as Fridays matchup is almost here?

“They got a real gritty offense, they like to run the ball, and try to force the run onto the opponents,” he replied. “They’re also good with their formations because they like to trade people around across the field, try to pick at the defenses, and just try to find people’s weaknesses.”

*Running QBs have given the Tar Heels some issues the last couple of years, including Virginia Tech’s, as Hokies quarterbacks have run the ball for 243 yards in the last two meetings. Braxton Burmeister ran for 51 yards on 11 attempts a year ago in Chapel Hill with a long of 14. So, what kinds of challenges does he present to the Tar Heels this week?

“Like you said, he’s a very mobile quarterback, he’s good in the run game, and also just good at extending passing plays with his feet,” Fox said. “A lot of times defenses don’t have a guy to account for a quarterback like that. We’ve been implementing some things just to make sure we keep our eye on him and make him stay in the pocket.”

*Noah Stabrowski and Brandon Peay contributed to this report.