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CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina offensive players Elijah Green and Drake Maye met with the media Tuesday evening at the Kenan Football Center to field questions about themselves, the mood of the unit and team overall, the important games coming up, Green’s path and the attention Maye is getting, plus more.

UNC is 7-1 overall, 4-0 in the ACC, and ranked No. 17 in the nation. The Tar Heels, who are 4-0 on the road, head to Virginia on Saturday for a noon kickoff (ACC Network) versus the Cavaliers.

Below are videos of their interviews with some notes and pulled quotes from what they had to say:

*UNC Coach Mack Brown said Monday that if any player is griping about playing time or their situation, he tells them to go speak to Elijah Green about it, since Green went from scout team to starter in the last month. Green said nobody has actually gone to him yet, but he did offer what he would tell someone if they did go to him.

“I would just say, ‘Stay patient,’” Green said. “That’s something I’ve learned a lot about from my dad and my experiences. Sometimes, things don’t go your way, but that doesn’t mean it’s not going to happen.

“There’s different timing for everything. Sometimes, you’re not ready for what you’re asking for, so continue to stay patient, continue to get better, and when that time does come, take (advantage) of the opportunity. You don’t want to not work and then the opportunity comes and you’re not ready for it.”

*Green is now the starting running back with Caleb Hood out for the season, but he is also on all four of the special teams. He isn’t sure if that will be scaled back or not moving forward, but he certainly enjoys playing on those units.

“Actually, I appreciate Don Chapman, he saw that I was really tired, and he came in and got me for one of my kickoffs,” Green said. “I’m really appreciative of that. I really don’t know how much my special teams will be impacted. Wherever I’m needed, I want to be there to be able to help the team.

“If I need to do all four, I’ll do all four.”

His favorite role on special teams?

“I like punt,” he said. “I like playing gunner and being split out wide, and use my speed to try to get around and force a fair catch it. Make a tackle.”

Green had a big play against Pitt when he caught the return man from behind and brought him down for a big loss.

“That was probably my favorite play I’ve ever made, because I’m not much of a defensive player, but it kind of made me feel like I was out there playing defense. So, that was really exciting.”

His defensive teammates had to like that play, right?

“Yeah, they were hyping me up,” Green said, laughing. “So I was excited about that.”

*The Tar Heels are starting to turn in a really nice season sitting at 7-1 and in control of their division, but they are remaining even-keeled, Green says.

“I think the mood is pretty good,” Green said. “Obviously, you can enjoy that we’ve been winning, we can enjoy being 7-1. But we’ve also got to take every week one week at a time not feeling too good about ourselves, but knowing we still have a long way to go to continue to get better."

*Maye cut his hand during the game Saturday night, and it was bleeding so much, that he tore off the bandage on it because the blood squirting out was too irritating to him. The hand is still taped up quite a bit, but Maye isn’t worried about it at all.

“It’s doing well,” he said, replying to a question about his hand. “Same thing happened in practice. Put a little tape over it, and I thought I was throwing it pretty good. So, it’s nothing, just a little cut. Nothing deep. Not anything worthy of news.”

*Maye generated a lot of national hype for his performance in the Pitt game and is very close to being in the Heisman conversation. But he really is taking things in stride. It almost seems cliched and not real, but it is. Everything he says about it is genuine.

“Overall, I think it’s more about the program in general,” Maye said about the national hype. “I think we’re kind of making some noise. Starting this last leg of the season off with a big moment against Pitt… It’s a big win for the program, and that kind of comes with it.”

Pressed a bit more to talk about himself, Maye acknowledged he knows he leads the nation in passing yards (2,671) and touchdowns (29).

“It comes with the offense,’ Maye said. “Things go well throughout the season, we have guys that can do it, (so) I just have to do my part. I’m just trying to do my part out there extending plays when I need to, but most of the time, I’m on the first or second look. Credit to the guys around me.”

*Maye is really efficient throwing the football on the run, be it to his left or right, he is excellent at this. Doe he practice that, or does it just happen?

“It’s something me and the Qs we drill after practice,” Maye said. “With (QB) Coach (Phil) Longo, we usually drill at least once or twice a week during the practice. He always gets mad because he wants it at full sprint because it makes it realistic.”

*How much does his basketball past help him throwing on the run?

“You’re always on the move in basketball,” Maye said. “That definitely translates to football with the ball in my hands, just a different ball. One-hand passing and stuff. I think it prepared me definitely.”