CHAPEL HILL– The Tar Heel football team has put in a full week of practice this week in preparation for their departure for Charlotte to play in the Belk Bowl against the Cincinnati Bearcats Dec. 28.

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Sophomore quarterback Marquise Williams says the Tar Heels will need stick to their motto, “Smart. Fast. Physical,” in order to claim the bowl victory.

“I’ve been watching film. Those guys are some good ball players. We just got to play our style of football: Smart. Fast. Physical. We just got to go execute and do what we need to do to win the football game,” Williams says.

The Tar Heels won five of their final six games just to qualify for the postseason. Williams says this team understands how to overcome adversity.

“Everything happens for a reason. Adversity is always coming. That’s the biggest thing. We just hit adversity, and now we’re back again,” Williams says.

Junior tight end Eric Ebron will play in his final game in Carolina uniform against Cincinnati before departing for the NFL, and Ebron says he thinks Head Coach Larry Fedora is bound to have a few trick plays up his sleeve for the bowl game.

“I expect us to go out there and have fun. And there is nothing more fun than us going out there and doing trick plays and doing what we have been doing all season. I definitely expect Coach Fedora to think of some master plan and let us go out there and execute,” Ebron says.

Ebron says he knows the clock is ticking on his days as a UNC student. He says that’s why he is trying to spend as much time as he can with his friends and teammates.

“We’re either at my house or another player’s house. We’re all just together. Whatever we’re doing we’re doing it together. We know time’s really short and limited between us. We just try to do everything we can as a group,” Ebron says.

Coach Fedora says Cincinnati developed as a team over the course of the regular season, and he expects a tough test from the 9-3 Bearcats.

“They are a very good defensive team. Nobody’s run the ball on them very well. They’re sound in everything they do. Their guys are making plays for them. They’re playing hard. Offensively, they’re spreading it around really well. They’re a good, solid football team. They’re 9-3. There’s a reason they’re 9-3,” Coach Fedora says.

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