CHAPEL HILL– The Tar Heels have been out on the practice fields all week tirelessly preparing for their in-state rivalry contest against the Wolfpack.

Bragging rights are on the line and tailback T.J. Logan says he feels there is added incentive this week because it’s much more personal.

“I feel like this one is kind of more personal because it’s in our state. This is more personal. Some of these guys know each other. They grew up with them. And I hung out with a couple of the guys. It’s kind of more for bragging rights,” Logan says.

Logan says Head Coach Larry Fedora emphasizes the magnitude of the N.C.State game long before the rivalry week rolls around. And to add fuel to the fire, Logan says Coach Fedora does a little interior decorating to the locker room featuring the color red.

“He emphasizes it a lot in our locker rooms. It’s a lot of N.C.State stuff. So they’re just trying to make us make sure that we know this is the biggest game that is going to happen on Saturday,” Logan says.

Quarterback Marquise Williams says he has been working hard to sharpen his passing efficiency to grow the coaching staff’s belief in his abilities to run the up-tempo offense.

“I just worked hard at what I need to improve at. That’s passing the football and accuracy and stuff like that to make them believe. That’s the main key that I’ve been working on just doing my job as the back-up. And when I have my time to perform, just executing what I need to do,” Williams says.

Williams oozes with confidence when you talk with him. He says he feels no one can stop him in the red zone and that he is excited to score a couple touchdowns at Carter-Finley Stadium this weekend in front of a hostile crowd.

“I’m going to be really hyped about it. I feel like no one can stop me in the red zone. Playing at Carter-Finley, it’s unbelievable. The fans are hostile. Hopefully, I can get into the end zone a couple times against them, and we can get a ‘W’ at the Carter,” Williams says.

Offensive coordinator Blake Anderson says the Wolfpack defense presents some match-up problems for his offense. He says the size of the N.C.State front line is threatening.

“Obviously, you know the effort will be phenomenal on Saturday. They’re big. There is going to be some match-up issues we are going to have to deal with. We got to utilize some tempo and some change of pace to help us there. […] We got to do a good job of battling one-on-one,” Coach Anderson says.

 

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