Players Wednesday: Ritzie & Downs Talk Prosperity, GT & More
CHAPEL HILL – As North Carolina continues preparing for its home game Saturday versus Georgia Tech, two Tar Heels met with the media via zoom following practice Wednesday morning.
Sophomore defensive lineman Jahvaree Ritzie and junior wide receiver Josh Downs were available to field questions. Below are videos of their interviews as well as a few notes and pulled quotes from what they had to say:
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Jahvaree Ritzie, Soph. DL
*UNC has allowed 5.2 points per fourth quarter in six ACC games, and Ritzie offers his take on why the Tar Heels have been bowing up at crunch time.
“Honestly, I just feel like it’s the focus, it’s the mindset that we have,” he said. “We’ve gotta make a play, gotta stop the run, stop the pass. It’s really just the mindset and the focus.”
*UNC Coach Mack Brown said Monday this week will be a challenge for his team because it is coming off achieving something noteworthy in clinching the Coastal Division title and having to get ready again to take on a struggling team. This is where something can be learned about the program at this stage. Ritzie says the focus is full bore straight ahead.
“I feel like right after each game we’re prepared for the next game,” Ritzie said. “We go into each week thinking about the game we have to play that upcoming weekend. We don’t really focus on anything else but that upcoming game.”
Some of the players said the same thing when asked the same question Tuesday, so it appears they have moved on from clinching the Coastal.
Josh Downs, Jr. WR
*Downs said after the win at Wake that he could finally think some about Clemson, which is Carolina’s opponent in the ACC championship game. But how long did he think about the Tigers?
“Probably Monday when we started watching tape on Georgia Tech, that’s when I put that behind me and I’ve gotten focused on this week,” Downs said. “That’s my full focus right now is Georgia Tech, and that’s pretty much the whole team’s focus.”
*Downs has been on a tear of late having passed the 100-yard mark in his last three games, plus over his last four games, he has 46 receptions for 548 yards and six touchdowns. Downs set UNC single-season marks a year ago with 101 receptions and 1,335 receiving yards, but he may be even better this season. What has he improved on from a year ago?
“I’ve become a better route runner just being another year at the college level,” he said. “And I’m able to catch a lot more balls than I was last year. I have a better catch radius and I feel like I’m using my hands, and I’m having contested catches better."
