Players Tuesday: Offense | Criswell & McCollum

CHAPEL HILL – Sitting at 3-2 overall and 0-1 in the ACC, North Carolina is preparing to host unbeaten Pittsburgh on Saturday for a noon kick inside Kenan Stadium.

As they do every week, Tuesday means some of the Tar Heels are available to discuss themselves, the previous game, and the coming contest.

This week, the two offensive players we met with are quarterback Jacolby Criswell and wide receiver Nate McCollum.

Pitt is 4-0 and this will be its ACC opener.

Below are videos of their Q&A sessions and some notes about them and from what they had to say:

Jacolby Criswell

Graduate QB / 6-1, 230

*Criswell started the season third team but has started the last two games for the Tar Heels and barring injury, he will start the remainder of the season.

*Criswell entered the season having attempted just 58 passes in four seasons, but he is 64-for-111 (57.7%) this season with 889 yards, 6 TDs and 3 interceptions.

*He has played 434 snaps in his career, with 230 coming in the last three weeks.

*Criswell has combined for 44 first downs on pass plays, has 3 throwaways, 10 scrambles, been sacked 6 times, 7 passes have been dropped, he’s made 2 BTT (big time throws), and his NFL rating is 90.3.

*Criswell was at the podium for almost 20 minutes and was asked a lot of questions about his growth since becoming a starter; if it’s gone by so fast has he been able to identify specific improvements; what has been most challenging about being QB1; what has been most interesting about being QB1; if he notices a lot more eyes on him in the Kenan Football Center now that he’s the starter; his gps numbers; the need to move the ball around through the air so defenses can’t focus so much on Omarion Hampton; Pitt’s defense and more.

Nate McCollum

Sr. WR / 5-9, 185

*McCollum missed one game this season, so in four games he has 4 receptions for 23 yards and has run the ball 4 times four 49 yards and a TD. UNC’s QBs have had trouble getting him the ball on the other side of the line of scrimmage. He has also returned 7 kickoffs for 146 yards, which is an average of 20.9 per return.

*For his career, which includes multiple seasons at Georgia Tech, McCollum has 123 receptions for 1,270 yards, 5 TDs, 61 first downs, 8 drops, 599 yards after the catch, and a long of 56 yards in 1,290 snaps.

*Also, he has run the ball 11 times for 119 yards (10.8 average) with 2 TDs, 3 first downs, 2 runs of 15+ yards, 4 runs of 10+ yards, 67 yard after contact, and a long of 40 yards.

*Among the topics McCollum discussed are why the offense struggled in the second half at Duke; him having just four receptions so far; on few of his touches originating from the other side of the line of scrimmage; how Jacolby Criswell is getting more comfortable; how the offense can get better; and that the team has a “hunger” to be better than they’ve been.