UNC sophomore wide receiver and return specialist Ryan Switzer threw a touchdown pass last weekend – that’s one more score than he’s achieved with his legs so far in the 2014 season.

And although Switzer places second in receiving yards for the Tar Heels, the going has not been as easy in year two at Chapel Hill for the player who electrified fans in his freshman campaign with trademark elusiveness.

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For Switzer, positivity is the key to momentum. He saw poor reactions from teammates on the sidelines in Greenville, but he says UNC can learn from the successful turnaround in 2013 and apply it this year.

“I think we have to be more positive. We talked about positive energy all though the preseason. So far, the guys have done a good job of keeping each other positive and making sure everybody is upbeat and has the right attitude. On Saturday, guys got a little negative. Frustration and emotion overcame a lot of the positive energy that we had. We can use that experience, as well as what we went through last year, to propel us forward and make sure it doesn’t happen again,” Switzer says.

Switzer celebrates (Elliott Rubin)

Switzer celebrates (Elliott Rubin)

It remains to be seen whether this year’s bunch of Tar Heels can replicate the transformation undergone last season, but Switzer says if it’s going to happen, it needs to begin in practice this week and in the game at Clemson Saturday.

“It’s definitely a hit on the head. It’s definitely a wake-up call. It’s something we need to make sure doesn’t happen again. That’s why this week in practice will be important and how we come out against Clemson will be important. We really need to have a good showing against those guys. It’s a game that we can win. We all feel that way,” Switzer says.

Carolina’s last win in Death Valley came way back in 2001. Only a handful of the Tar Heels on the roster have ever experienced the raucous atmosphere that will await them, but Switzer is looking forward to the experience and the opportunity to produce an upset on the road.

“The older guys have played in Death Valley, but the majority of us haven’t. From that aspect, it’s going to be fun. It’s going to be important that we go out with the right attitude and positive energy to come out with a win,” Switzer says.

UNC head coach Larry Fedora and the Tar Heels pride themselves in their special teams play. But this season, the fireworks have been notably absent.

The main sparkplug, Switzer, isn’t overly concerned with the lack of a special teams score in 2014. He says it will come.

“The time is coming. We didn’t get a punt or kick return until the latter part of last season. We’ve got great schemes going into each game. We spend a tremendous amount of time in film on special teams. It’s all a matter of time. We just got to make sure we keep pressing the issue and keep believing like Coach Fedora says. Eventually, one’s going to pop,” Switzer says.

In a surprising twist for some observers, even after naming junior Marquise Williams as the starting quarterback, the UNC coaching staff has been incorporating a rotation at the signal caller position.

But for Switzer, he says it doesn’t make a difference whether Williams or his roommate, redshirt freshman Mitch Trubisky, is taking the snaps.

“For me personally, I think I mentioned this in training camp, we really didn’t see a difference between who was throwing us the ball. If you talked to the quarterbacks, maybe they would have a different story. From the receiver standpoint, as long as the ball is coming out, it doesn’t make a difference who’s back there,” Switzer says.

Ryan Switzer sprinting ahead (Elliott Rubin)

Ryan Switzer sprinting ahead (Elliott Rubin)

Switzer has tallied 115 yards on 16 receptions through three games. Fellow sophomore Mack Hollins leads the team with 242 yards receiving and two touchdowns.

With the poor play of the UNC defense, is the Carolina offense feeling even greater pressure to produce? Switzer doesn’t think so.

“I wouldn’t see it as guys getting tensed up. It’s one of those things as a competitor; you take it as a challenge and try to outscore each other. Hopefully, that’s not always the case. They are much better than what they showed. Hopefully, that isn’t the case for the rest of the season,” Switzer says.

Switzer is certainly remaining optimistic. But positivity alone won’t necessarily guarantee production on Saturday.