CHAPEL HILL – It may be Friday the 13th, but there is no nonsense from Tar Heel Football Head Coach Larry Fedora as his team takes advantage of the bye week to prepare for their huge ACC opener against the tricky triple option attack of Georgia Tech. 

“We’ve come just a couple days of our guys working on the triple option. The defense is starting to get the game plan. Offensively, putting in a game plan of what we know about Georgia Tech at this time, which isn’t a whole lot,” Fedora says. “You’re basically making decisions based off one game.”

Coach Fedora served as offensive coordinator at OklahomaState from 2005-2007. Despite all the recent accusations of players getting paid at that program, Coach Fedora says he never saw anything suspicious during his time with the Cowboys.

“There was no doubt in my mind and every guy on that staff that it was clear from that administration and Mike Gundy [the head coach] that your were going to do things right there,” Fedora says.

“Changing the culture” at Carolina has always been a main focus for Coach Fedora. He says he was impressed with the student section, or the Tar Pit, against Middle Tennessee.

“If you looked at that Tar Pit, our student section did an awesome job. They were awesome. They were there early. They had a great time. They are the thing our team feeds off of. We’re still in the process of changing the culture,” Coach Fedora says.

So how will the Tar Heels defend against the frustrating Georgia Tech option offense? After all, Yellow Jacket Head Coach Paul Johnson’s team put up a demoralizing 68 points on Carolina in Chapel Hill a year ago. Coach Fedora says the key to success against that offense is all about discipline.

“You got to be very disciplined. Somebody has to have the dive, somebody’s got to have the quarterback, and somebody’s got to have the pitch every play. And then Paul’s going to a great job of scheming you with different formations and unbalanced looks,” Coach Fedora says.

Peering ahead to the Thursday night pregame festivities coming to Franklin Street for the Miami game on Oct. 17, Coach Fedora says he hopes Tar Heel Downtown becomes a yearly tradition for the community.

“I think it’s a great thing that the University and the community are coming together to make it a great night. Everybody hangs out on Franklin Street and has a great time. I think it’s a great idea, and I hope it’s something that catches on and we do in the future,” Fedora says.

Kickoff for Carolina-Georgia Tech is set for noon on Sat., Sept. 21 in Atlanta. The game will be televised by one of the ESPN networks to be announced soon. And WCHL will get you fired up for the contest starting bright and early at 9 a.m. with Countdown to Kickoff presented by UNC Health Care.