From Monday's official presser for the Russell Athletic Bowl. At the Orlando Hilton. You can also see the video of this presser here on THI:
COACH FEDORA: Our team has had an unbelievable week. This has been a great bowl. Russell Athletic has put together a tremendous time for our players.We spent time at Disney World and Universaland Magic Kingdom. We've had just a great week. It's been really good, as a coaching staff, practicing facilities and everything that we've needed.It's been really, really good. Our players have had a great time.Our friendshave had a great time. Our families have had a great time, which is really the most important thing for us.And now we're excited about playing a football game.
THE MODERATOR: At this time, we'll open it up for Q&A.
Q. How is the business trip aspect of this going, especially since you all got down here?
COACH FEDORA: It's been really good. Our players have treated -- we talked about this before we got here. We're here to win a football game and try to get number 12 for us but also have a good time. I mean, this is really real. And so they know, when it was time for meetings and practice, that it was time to go. And our Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday practices have been just like they have throughout the entire season. So we've got a very mature group that has done a great job of preparing each and every week and they've done the same thing this week.
Q. Baylor has had several offensive playerinjured. What do you see from their offensive with the changes they've had to make?
COACH FEDORA: Well, I was talking with Art last night, telling him what an unbelievable job they've done with the injuries. I mean, to be able to do that, to have three quarterbacks go down and still have the kind of year that they've had has been tremendous. So there's no doubt in my mind they're going to put 11 guys out there that can play football. They've done a great job of recruiting. They've got a team that it looks like they've just been next-manned up and they haven't blinked. And they've done a great job and they'll have a great plan against us.
Q. Larry, talk about the emotions with Baylor getting ready to start coach recruiting. I'm wondering if you've heard or how many people you've heard from with Baylor in connection to their staff from the past week.
COACH FEDORA: It's been a lot, every since the announcement that we were playing Baylor, because I've got so many friends that are still there that I've stayed in contact with over the years, so it's been -- it's kind of been neat catching up with a lot of them. A lot of them will be at the game and I look forward to seeing them. My two oldest children were born in Waco while we were there, was actually there six years, which is the longest I had been at any place. We have a lot of great friends there so it's been fun.
Q. Coach, you mentioned a little bit about the injuries Baylor has gone through. With a quarterback that has just a little over 30 sacks on film to be able to watch, how have you been able to prepare for Chris Johnson?
COACH FEDORA: Well, it's been tough because the first game they played against TCU, they were playing in a monsoon, and you don't know what anybody could do in that game. I mean, it was extremely tough. And then he comes in. He's not in the Texas game very long, and so -- but I can tell you, he's a kid that can run. I mean, so he adds that dimension to their team, but he can also throw it. He's not to go back there if he can't throw, so he can throw it. They're not going to change -- Baylor's not going to change in the last game of the year because of an injury. They're going to do what they do. And this kid is going to be able to do it, I assure you.
Q. People have made the comparison between what you guys do offensively and what Baylor if does offensively. How do you see the similarities between you all and how different you all are between the first-place spread?
COACH FEDORA: There are so many different versions of the spread. Everybody uses the term. Essentially, they're spreading the field and creating seems in the defense, is what you're doing. And their up-tempo as well as we are, and we may be a little bit multi-tempoed than they are. But, essentially, you want to spread people out and you want to run the football. And they're averaging 300 yards a game rushing, so they do a great job of it. They're really big and physical upfront. And so we're similar in that aspect, that we would like to be able to run the football too. But you have to be able to do both. People can stack it up in the box and stop the run. You'd better be able to throw it. We've always provided ourselves, as I'm sure Art does also, that we can do both.
Q. Larry, in different places you've been, has your offense just kind of evolved or what's the genesis of your offense?
COACH FEDORA: When I left Baylor, I went to the Air Force Academy and it was just pure action football at that time. From there, I got the offense coordinator's job at Middle Tennessee State. At that time, it was 1-AA team that was making the transition to 1-A. So we knew we wouldn't have the talent that we were going to need to play against. So we were either going to go in and I was going to run the option like we did at Air Force or I was going to spread it out and go no-huddle which, at that time, there weren't any teams doing that. So we were going to be different. And got to see the quarterback. He couldn't run a lick,so we just decided we were going to spread it out, go no-huddle, throw the ball around and have a good time.
If Wes is listening, I apologize, Wes, but he knows he couldn't run either. But the biggest difference back then was going multi-tempo. Back then, defenses were still huddling. So we would be running a play and the linebacker would still be talking to the defense in a huddle. I mean, it was really weird. And they had a hard time with it. And way the rules were set up at that time, you could it do a lot of things. You could run groups out and run it back off. As the offense was trying to change, you'd snap the ball and you'd have a penalty. So there are a lot of things that you could do to take advantage of the situation. And now those rules have changed, but we've evolved. I mean, those guys have played for me in '98 or '99. They can still look at the offense and they can still call things that happened in the offense because the base is still there. And then I said, if it does work out, we'll just stay in the Texas. Since your family and my family is here, we'll just stay in college in the state of Texas. We left in '96 and haven't been back, so that was a little misleading there.
Q. I think you told us a bit ago the first time you met Art Briles was when he was coaching high school and you recruited on of the kids. What do you remember about that experience?
COACH FEDORA: Yeah. The kid's name was Brandon Stewart, and he was a heck of a player. I mean, a great player. He could throw it all over the place. He became the number one quarterback that we were recruiting. Had that was my area, so I started spending a lot of time in Stephenville, as much as the NCAA would allow, and getting to know Art and what they were doing and watching how they practiced and all things they did. And it was really impressive back then because now you're talking that was early '90s.So that was really impressive, what he was to doing at that level. Then you'd go to the games. He had the fans all completely behind him. He had these cans. I remember they were full of ball bearings, and they would shake these cans the whole game. I mean, it was really loud and just did a great job.
I ended up losing the kid to David Cutcliffe at Tennessee, actually. And the kid went. And the next day, Peyton Manning committed. And so it was -- I think he stayed there one semester and ended up transferring to Texas A&M after that. But it was a great family. And Stephenville was a small town, but football was very important. I'd get over there early in the morning, around 5:30 in the morning. I'd make the trip and get over there and go to a local coffee shop and just sit in there and listen to the families and see what I could pick up about that kid and his family. So it was a neat experience for me, other than I lost him.
Q. Coach, obviously, you had some disappointment during the SEC title game. How did you get from in the evolution of the program to that 12 winning season?
COACH FEDORA: We would make history at the University of North Carolina. It's never been done. We would send our seniors out the right way. He would also establish a foundation for our future and a new standard for Carolina football and one that all the future teams will be compared to as this 2015 team. So it would be a heck of a deal for us.
The rest is posted in the next part:
COACH FEDORA: Our team has had an unbelievable week. This has been a great bowl. Russell Athletic has put together a tremendous time for our players.We spent time at Disney World and Universaland Magic Kingdom. We've had just a great week. It's been really good, as a coaching staff, practicing facilities and everything that we've needed.It's been really, really good. Our players have had a great time.Our friendshave had a great time. Our families have had a great time, which is really the most important thing for us.And now we're excited about playing a football game.
THE MODERATOR: At this time, we'll open it up for Q&A.
Q. How is the business trip aspect of this going, especially since you all got down here?
COACH FEDORA: It's been really good. Our players have treated -- we talked about this before we got here. We're here to win a football game and try to get number 12 for us but also have a good time. I mean, this is really real. And so they know, when it was time for meetings and practice, that it was time to go. And our Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday practices have been just like they have throughout the entire season. So we've got a very mature group that has done a great job of preparing each and every week and they've done the same thing this week.
Q. Baylor has had several offensive playerinjured. What do you see from their offensive with the changes they've had to make?
COACH FEDORA: Well, I was talking with Art last night, telling him what an unbelievable job they've done with the injuries. I mean, to be able to do that, to have three quarterbacks go down and still have the kind of year that they've had has been tremendous. So there's no doubt in my mind they're going to put 11 guys out there that can play football. They've done a great job of recruiting. They've got a team that it looks like they've just been next-manned up and they haven't blinked. And they've done a great job and they'll have a great plan against us.
Q. Larry, talk about the emotions with Baylor getting ready to start coach recruiting. I'm wondering if you've heard or how many people you've heard from with Baylor in connection to their staff from the past week.
COACH FEDORA: It's been a lot, every since the announcement that we were playing Baylor, because I've got so many friends that are still there that I've stayed in contact with over the years, so it's been -- it's kind of been neat catching up with a lot of them. A lot of them will be at the game and I look forward to seeing them. My two oldest children were born in Waco while we were there, was actually there six years, which is the longest I had been at any place. We have a lot of great friends there so it's been fun.
Q. Coach, you mentioned a little bit about the injuries Baylor has gone through. With a quarterback that has just a little over 30 sacks on film to be able to watch, how have you been able to prepare for Chris Johnson?
COACH FEDORA: Well, it's been tough because the first game they played against TCU, they were playing in a monsoon, and you don't know what anybody could do in that game. I mean, it was extremely tough. And then he comes in. He's not in the Texas game very long, and so -- but I can tell you, he's a kid that can run. I mean, so he adds that dimension to their team, but he can also throw it. He's not to go back there if he can't throw, so he can throw it. They're not going to change -- Baylor's not going to change in the last game of the year because of an injury. They're going to do what they do. And this kid is going to be able to do it, I assure you.
Q. People have made the comparison between what you guys do offensively and what Baylor if does offensively. How do you see the similarities between you all and how different you all are between the first-place spread?
COACH FEDORA: There are so many different versions of the spread. Everybody uses the term. Essentially, they're spreading the field and creating seems in the defense, is what you're doing. And their up-tempo as well as we are, and we may be a little bit multi-tempoed than they are. But, essentially, you want to spread people out and you want to run the football. And they're averaging 300 yards a game rushing, so they do a great job of it. They're really big and physical upfront. And so we're similar in that aspect, that we would like to be able to run the football too. But you have to be able to do both. People can stack it up in the box and stop the run. You'd better be able to throw it. We've always provided ourselves, as I'm sure Art does also, that we can do both.
Q. Larry, in different places you've been, has your offense just kind of evolved or what's the genesis of your offense?
COACH FEDORA: When I left Baylor, I went to the Air Force Academy and it was just pure action football at that time. From there, I got the offense coordinator's job at Middle Tennessee State. At that time, it was 1-AA team that was making the transition to 1-A. So we knew we wouldn't have the talent that we were going to need to play against. So we were either going to go in and I was going to run the option like we did at Air Force or I was going to spread it out and go no-huddle which, at that time, there weren't any teams doing that. So we were going to be different. And got to see the quarterback. He couldn't run a lick,so we just decided we were going to spread it out, go no-huddle, throw the ball around and have a good time.
If Wes is listening, I apologize, Wes, but he knows he couldn't run either. But the biggest difference back then was going multi-tempo. Back then, defenses were still huddling. So we would be running a play and the linebacker would still be talking to the defense in a huddle. I mean, it was really weird. And they had a hard time with it. And way the rules were set up at that time, you could it do a lot of things. You could run groups out and run it back off. As the offense was trying to change, you'd snap the ball and you'd have a penalty. So there are a lot of things that you could do to take advantage of the situation. And now those rules have changed, but we've evolved. I mean, those guys have played for me in '98 or '99. They can still look at the offense and they can still call things that happened in the offense because the base is still there. And then I said, if it does work out, we'll just stay in the Texas. Since your family and my family is here, we'll just stay in college in the state of Texas. We left in '96 and haven't been back, so that was a little misleading there.
Q. I think you told us a bit ago the first time you met Art Briles was when he was coaching high school and you recruited on of the kids. What do you remember about that experience?
COACH FEDORA: Yeah. The kid's name was Brandon Stewart, and he was a heck of a player. I mean, a great player. He could throw it all over the place. He became the number one quarterback that we were recruiting. Had that was my area, so I started spending a lot of time in Stephenville, as much as the NCAA would allow, and getting to know Art and what they were doing and watching how they practiced and all things they did. And it was really impressive back then because now you're talking that was early '90s.So that was really impressive, what he was to doing at that level. Then you'd go to the games. He had the fans all completely behind him. He had these cans. I remember they were full of ball bearings, and they would shake these cans the whole game. I mean, it was really loud and just did a great job.
I ended up losing the kid to David Cutcliffe at Tennessee, actually. And the kid went. And the next day, Peyton Manning committed. And so it was -- I think he stayed there one semester and ended up transferring to Texas A&M after that. But it was a great family. And Stephenville was a small town, but football was very important. I'd get over there early in the morning, around 5:30 in the morning. I'd make the trip and get over there and go to a local coffee shop and just sit in there and listen to the families and see what I could pick up about that kid and his family. So it was a neat experience for me, other than I lost him.
Q. Coach, obviously, you had some disappointment during the SEC title game. How did you get from in the evolution of the program to that 12 winning season?
COACH FEDORA: We would make history at the University of North Carolina. It's never been done. We would send our seniors out the right way. He would also establish a foundation for our future and a new standard for Carolina football and one that all the future teams will be compared to as this 2015 team. So it would be a heck of a deal for us.
The rest is posted in the next part:
