North Carolina Coach Roy Williams met with the media for about 10 minutes Thursday afternoon as part of an abbreviated virtual ACC Media Day for the 2020-21 basketball season.

Williams took a handful of questions mostly about his freshmen, so above is the audio of what Williams had to say and below is the full transcript of everything his respect to a question about Syracuse Coach Jim Beoheim:

Opening statement

WILLIAMS: “We’ve had 25 practices. We have four guys who played a lot last year, Garrison had a successful year. Then Leaky Black, Armando Bacot and Andrew Platek to a much lesser degree, and for our team to be successful, those guys have got to step forward and really play.

“We have six freshmen that will play a lot, and I wouldn’t be surprised if sometimes we have five freshmen on the court together. We open up next Wednesday with College of Charleston and I’d like to have about another month of practice because we’re nowhere near ready to play, but the calendar doesn’t stop. We’re anxious to see how we’re doing. We had a season last year that definitely left a bad taste in our mouths.”

Q: On adding depth to the front court but the trend in basketball is spreading the floor and at times playing smaller, so what are his concerns about one of your big guys having to play a smaller, quicker four man?

WILLIAMS: “If they’re going to play, they’re going to have to be able to guard them. I’ve never been afraid to do things differently. In fact, in 2017 when we won a national championship, they day between the semifinals and finals when we had the press obligations, and (Gonzaga coach) Mark Few said, ‘God, isn’t this great, we both get to play against somebody that’s got two post players.’

“And I said, ‘Yeah, but the game’s going in a different direction, but we’re the only two ones left, so it’s okay to do things differently.’ What it means is yeah, we’ve got to be able to get on the court and guard those guys, but they have to guard us as well.

“I think the game’s changed a great deal, but I like being stubborn and I like to play with two post guys if I can. I like to (pound it) inside, I like to get fouled. So we’re going to have to get those guys who are going to have play smaller guys they’ve got to be able to get out on the court and do it.”

Q: On that UNC will start a freshman at the point for the third straight year and if there’s a common thread on teaching them to play the pace he likes to play.

WILLIAMS: “Well, it takes a while, there’s no question, because I do like to push it. And every kid says they want to run and then realize how hard it is and it’s not as much fun anymore, particularly in practice doing it every day. This year, perhaps, it might be even more unusual because my guess is we’ll have a freshman at the point guard and when he goes out there’ll be another freshman at the point guard.

“I’ve started plenty of freshmen at point guard over the years, and it’s a process they have to listen every day, take as many things as you give them every day and knowing that you’re going to give them a lot of things the next day. They need to try to grab as many things as they can, and the next day I may emphasize the same things and add a few…

“That part is not unusual, especially with Coby (White) and Cole (Anthony) and Marcus (Paige) and Ty Lawson, all of those guys were really gifted and understood the game, too. And I think Caleb and RJ give us some of that knowledge as well.”

Q: Update on where redshirt freshman Anthony Harris is with his rehab and if he will be available for the opener.

WILLIAMS: “No, he will not play next Wednesday, but he’s starting to get more involved but has not been completely released yet.”

Q: Asked to elaborate more on what Harris is doing.

WILLIAMS: “He’s doing some things, he’s not doing anything full court. He’s doing some things half court and some things dummy, but the medical people will tell me when he’s ready to go, and when he does that, we’ll get him back into the full court up-and-down five-on-five stuff.”

Q: On what he’s been most impressed about with Day’Ron Sharpe and RJ Davis.

WILLIAMS: “(Inaudible) Day’Ron can score inside and he can block some shots. He’s not where we want him to be defensively by any means. He’s really a good passer, the only problem is like a lot of quarterbacks, they don’t see the defense. But, he’ll make a great pass and then he’ll turn it over… Taking the ball to the basketball and rebounding his own missed shots and other guys’ missed shots, he’s been fantastic.

“RJ gives you a little bit of old school values that he has out there because he’s always penetrating, probing, trying to see what’s happening. A little undersized to play the two, but he’ll end up playing the two some as well this year. And I think that he has a really good feel of how to play the game and the pace that I want to play, and he just has good natural instincts. He’ll play a heck of a lot for us.”

Q: On how he sees the rotation at point guard working with Caleb Love and RJ Davis and if bott can slide over to the two.

WILLIAMS: “I really have no idea yet and I think it will play out more once we get into the games. But they’re spending a lot of time on the court together… (inaudible) and they’ve been doing it for 25 practices. There are some small adjustments they have to make and they’re doing a pretty good job considering everything else.

“They’ve been on the court a lot together and they will also spell each other. So. It’s something that’s going to have to play out. Am I pleased with it? No, I’m not pleased with anything right now, but they’re doing a nice job.”

*Video edits by Jacob Turner