Players Tuesday: Maginness, Gray, Atkinson & Gaynor

CHAPEL HILL – Tuesdays in football game weeks means some of the Tar Heels are made available to the media, and today four of them fielded questions in anticipation of North Carolina hosting Virginia on Saturday at Kenan Stadium.

Tom Maginness, Cedric Gray, Beau Atkinson, and Corey Gaynor spoke for about 10-plus minutes each at the Kenan Football Center.

The No. 10 Tar Heels (6-0, 3-0 ACC) host the Cavaliers (1-5, 0-2) for a 6:30 PM kick Saturday. The game will air on The CW.

Here are videos of each interview along with some notes from what each player had to say:

*Maginness got his first snaps as a college football player Saturday night and had an amazing time. He said he looked around early to soak it all in, and maybe shouldn’t have.

*He got plenty of help during the week, and in pre-game, from injured punter Ben Kiernan.

*Maginness has shared his thoughts about how big American college football is to his family and friends back home. He’s blown away by it, as is his father. He says his mother doesn’t understand it at all.

*Maginness played Australian Rules Football starting at age five. It’s a physical sport that combines elements from several sports, but looks a lot like rugby. Maginness laughed and said he could probably take a blow better than Kiernan if he had to pick up a blocked punt and run, but also said he likely wouldn’t do that for a while.

*Maginness also talked about ordering a football uniform online, his girlfriend back home named Klaudia, what he likes about the football culture, what he might not like about being in the States, and what his favorite part about the game is aside from punting.

*UNC Coach Mack Brown said his team didn’t have a great practice last Wednesday, and he connected that with the so-so performance for most of Saturday night. Gray says the team learned something from that and is fully focused this week. He recognized facing a struggling team like Virginia could challenge that focus, but doesn’t believe that will be the case with the Tar Heels.

*The Heels had a team meeting Sunday that Brown described as the harshest following a win in his career, and Gray said it was needed and helpful to the team. The clear message sent then and this week is to keep wholly focused on preparing and playing to a standard.

*Gray says the Heels are definitely more physical than a year ago on defense.

*Gray also said this year’s team is clearly better than last year’s UNC club.

*He outlined the areas his game has improved.

*Gray also discussed the ranking and why they don’t care about it, that the focus is that day and the task at hand, which this week is Virginia.

*Atkinson has averaged 15.5 snaps per game and has graded out at 79.7 this season. At 6-foot-6 and 270 pounds, he has a sack and six hurries on the season, plus five STOPs, which are plays that result in failures for the opposing offense.

Atkinson discussed how he embraced the needs to change his body and his game after redshirting last season.

*Arkinson said hip work has been one of the biggest differences in his game, allowing for greater mobility around blockers, plus his work in the film room, and learning from Kaimon Rucker, who is his “big brother” on the team.

*His arrival moment came in the South Carolina game when he made a big play.

*Playing tight end in high school helped Atkinson because he can read opposing tight ends now, see their eyes, and guesses well what they’re going to do.

*Did Atkinson actually knock the ball loose on the goal line Saturday night? He says he isn’t sure because things happen so fast in the trenches.

*Gaynor described the Miami game as a heavyweight fight. He also said the Tar Heels are a more physical team this year, hinting it’s pretty obvious to see.,

*Part of that is running the ball better. He said Omarion Hampton has clearly improved, is more decisive, and gets through holes quicker, but was quick to note he can’t do it without the o-line.

*Nothing but praise for Willie Lampkin from Gaynor. He talked about his pad level, his grind and more.

*Gaynor and Drake Maye are very close friends, which Gaynor spoke some about.

*Gaynor says he can’t sleep because of the holding penalties called on him the other night.

*Some football players really do speak in cliches, and Gaynor is one of them, but it’s not any kind of player-speak with him, it’s genuine. Gaynor operates in such an absolute manner, the cliches are essentially personal directives.