Players Tuesday: Surratt, Carter, Ezeudu & Howell

CHAPEL HILL – Tuesday mornings on game weeks mean North Carolina’s players are available to the media to discuss some stuff about the previous game, the upcoming game and other things about themselves and the team.

The No. 5 Tar Heels are coming off a 56-45 win over then-No. 19 Virginia Tech and this week head to Tallahassee to face Florida State for a 7:30 pm kickoff on ABC.

This week, Chazz Surratt, Joshua Ezeudu, Michael Carter and Sam Howell were available following practice, and here are videos of their full interviews along with some notes and pulled quotes from what they had to say:

*There’s no question the Tar Heels missed defensive tackle Ray Vohasek against the Hokies. Tech gobbled up 495 yards and wore down the Heels in a third quarter in which it scored 22 points on 25 offensive plays totaling 228 yards. Having Vohasek would have been huge, and getting him back sooner rather than later is vitally important for this team moving forward.

“Ray is just able to command a lot more attention up front,” Surratt said. “He’s a really good player, kind of allows us to run and make plays. Missing him, I think we’ll get him back this week, he’s a very good player for us, very effective. Hopefully we get him back this week.”

*FSU made a quarterback change during its win two games ago over Jacksonville State, and after a solid offensive showing at Notre Dame (26 points, 405 total yards), believes Jordan Travis is their guy moving forward. Surratt is impressed, too.

“He’s a good player,” Surratt said. “I think their offense moves better when he’s in the game. He can run it, he can throw it. I think he’s going to be a good test for us this week on the defensive side of the ball. Great athlete in space, so we’re going to have play disciplined football and maintain our gaps and be able to stop the quarterback run as well as not suck up and trigger and leave guys open.”

*This time two years ago, Carolina was preparing to play at Syracuse. Surratt had just been ruled out for the season and the Tar Heels were 1-4 (headed to a 1-8 start and 2-9 finish). Now, 24 months later, they’re No. 5 in the nation and headed for a primetime national TV game against a traditional power. So, what are Surratt’s thoughts about the quick change of fortune?

“It’s pretty cool to see us in the top five in the country, but at the same time, it’s really quick to get taken away,” he said. “As soon as we lose a game, people will be on us. I think just staying the course, playing one game at a time I think is the best way.

“Come out and practice hard and play hard, I think that’s all we can do. I don’t think looking ahead will get us anywhere and thinking that we’re better than we are won’t do anything, either.”

*Navarre, Fl, is about 190 miles from Tallahassee and also happens to be Michael Carter’s hometown. So, this is an unexpected homecoming for Carter, as the Seminoles originally weren’t on this year’s schedule. Carter will get to play in front of family this weekend, but he's not all pumped up about going home to play a game, his focus is broader than that.

“Honestly, it doesn’t really change my preparation,” Carter said. “I think what fuels me is my teammates, it don’t really matter who we play. We could play the New York Jets and I’m trying to go hard…

“I will say this, Florida State is better than their record shows. They’re really talented all the way up and down their roster. So I think it will be a good matchup for us…

“I do like being in Florida just because it’s where I’m from, but I don’t think playing Florida State means so much more than playing any other opponent because we have a goal and that’s to win a championship.”

*Carolina has scored a touchdown on its first possession in each of the three games so far. Why have the Heels been successful right out of the gate?

“I think it’s an emphasis on trying to start fast and be consistent throughout the game, which I think we have to do better in the next few weeks going forward…,” Carter said. “But we do put an emphasis on starting fast and finishing fast.”

*Having Josh Ezeudu back for the Virginia Tech game was obviously a big deal for UNC’s offensive line. After sluggishly scoring only 31 and 26 points in the first two games, the Heels exploded for 56 points, 656 total yards and 31 first downs versus the Hokies. He’s clearly the group’s most versatile player, as he can play four of the five positions on the line (except center), so how was it finally getting back on the field?

“It was very fun. I really missed being out there with my team (and) just watching them I felt like I really couldn’t do anything,” he said. “And I think I did good. I still have some things to work on. On Saturday, I made a couple of mistakes but you will never have a perfect game, so that’s fine with me.”

*Playing multiple positions on the o-line is quite challenging. The differences in assignments, blocking angles, how much you move in one position versus another, and sight lines, all take time to adapt and gain comfort. They also require different physical skill sets, but Ezeudu hasn’t had much trouble from that standpoint, it’s more learning the assignments, which can be a heavy load.

“I just think of it is I always have to be ready to play in each spot,” Ezeudu said. “I get a lot of reps at left tackle, left guard, right guard, right tackle, so I’d say I’m very comfortable in games from left guard to left tackle or to right tackle if anything happens…

“I just think if you move so much, I don’t really think it’s physical, really, I think it’s more mental, because as you go from different sides you’ll to think more. But the more you do it, the less you have to think.”

*One constant from UNC’s coaches Monday and the players Tuesday is they all say Florida State is much more talented than its 1-3 record suggests and they are taking the Seminoles very seriously. Sam Howell says FSU presents a significant challenge.

“They’re a really good team,” Howell said. “They’re record doesn’t really show how good they are. They’re very talented and I think is the most talented team we’ve played so far. So, it’s a great matchup for us, we’ve got to be prepared.”

*Carolina is No. 5 in the nation just 16 games into Mack Brown’s second stint as UNC’s coach. What are Howell’s thoughts about where the Tar Heels suddenly are in the polls?

“We don’t pay too much attention to it, but we definitely do acknowledge it,” Howell said. “It’s definitely cool to see that North Carolina is ranked No. 5 in the country. Just seeing how far this program has come in just a couple of years.

“We definitely are aware that a lot of people don’t think we should be that high in the rankings, sow e just want to go out there and prove people wrong. But honestly, it’s not about what other people are saying, it’s about us. We know inside our locker room right now that rankings don’t really mean anything. We still have to go out there and win all the games that we play.”

*Howell committed to FSU when he was in high school, but Brown and offensive coordinator Phil Longo were able to flip him to UNC just before the early signing period in 2018. What’s going through his mind now that he’s going to face the program to which he was once committed?

“I definitely really haven’t thought about it much,” Howell said. “I’ve seen some stuff on Twitter as far as fans and stuff – I don’t want to get on social media, I try to stay off of it. There really is no bad blood between me and the players, and it’s a different coaching staff. So I still have a lot of respect for those guys down there and still pull for those guys every week unless they’re playing us.”