That 17,000-20,000 fans that left Saturday’s last-second win over Pittsburgh before the Tar Heels began their two-touchdown comeback midway through the fourth quarter was a topic some players noted after the game. The topic came up again at Monday’s weekly press conference.
Junior defensive tackle and North Carolina native (Roanoke Rapids) Naz Jones was asked a question about the fans and some of the passion of those that stayed being an example some were beginning to embrace UNC football. Jones agreed with the premise of the question, but added a bit more.
“It’s definitely getting better, it is definitely getting better. I want to say ‘thank you’ to all of the people that did stay because I’m the kind of guy that feeds off that stuff, hope games and away games I always feed off the crowd. It just gives us that little edge that we need at home sometimes to have people there with us and believing in us and not going home because we’re down.”
So he noticed the people leaving?
“Yeah. I probably should have my focus on the game, but you can just tell, you look up and you see (aisles) are full of people going the other way. You kind of see that stuff – you want to focus on the game, but it’s kind of glaring, it’s kind of hard not to see it.”
Noted that a lot of fans on the visitor’s side of the stadium sat in the hot sun and 90-dgree temperatures for three hours, but the players are playing with 20 pounds of equipment on. Does he have any sympathy for them having to try and stick it out under those conditions?
“I wouldn’t say sympathy, individuals can be individuals, but we’re on the field in equipment and that kind of stuff, so we’re hot and I know they’re hot.”
Most programs are more like Carolina’s than the ones in which the fans are a part of the program on game day, and certainly the fans that stayed through the heat and were there at the end is what the players would like to see more of. But Jones recognizes the team has to do its part, too.
“It would be nice to see it more often, but as players we can’t really focus on that. They want to see a good game so we can’t go out there and give up 300 yards, 400 yards rushing, that’s not (what) they want to see. As we start to perform better they’ll start to stick around longer.”
Junior defensive tackle and North Carolina native (Roanoke Rapids) Naz Jones was asked a question about the fans and some of the passion of those that stayed being an example some were beginning to embrace UNC football. Jones agreed with the premise of the question, but added a bit more.
“It’s definitely getting better, it is definitely getting better. I want to say ‘thank you’ to all of the people that did stay because I’m the kind of guy that feeds off that stuff, hope games and away games I always feed off the crowd. It just gives us that little edge that we need at home sometimes to have people there with us and believing in us and not going home because we’re down.”
So he noticed the people leaving?
“Yeah. I probably should have my focus on the game, but you can just tell, you look up and you see (aisles) are full of people going the other way. You kind of see that stuff – you want to focus on the game, but it’s kind of glaring, it’s kind of hard not to see it.”
Noted that a lot of fans on the visitor’s side of the stadium sat in the hot sun and 90-dgree temperatures for three hours, but the players are playing with 20 pounds of equipment on. Does he have any sympathy for them having to try and stick it out under those conditions?
“I wouldn’t say sympathy, individuals can be individuals, but we’re on the field in equipment and that kind of stuff, so we’re hot and I know they’re hot.”
Most programs are more like Carolina’s than the ones in which the fans are a part of the program on game day, and certainly the fans that stayed through the heat and were there at the end is what the players would like to see more of. But Jones recognizes the team has to do its part, too.
“It would be nice to see it more often, but as players we can’t really focus on that. They want to see a good game so we can’t go out there and give up 300 yards, 400 yards rushing, that’s not (what) they want to see. As we start to perform better they’ll start to stick around longer.”
