Nov. 12, 2003

Mahlon Carey

On his breakfast meetings with Head Coach John Bunting:
"It was pretty good. He took it upon himself to want to meet with me in the morning time, just kind of one on one to talk about various things like my playing. Just a little one on one with coach ain't too bad."

What Bunting told him about his importance to the team's future:
"He's told me he's looking for me to show some leadership toward the end of this year and in the future. I'm thankful that he's looking to me for that type of leadership and I'm looking to give him what he wants."

Has the position switch been difficult?
"It's been challenging, I wouldn't say difficult. But I'm up for it, I've been trying to do some good things and I've had some challenges and adversities along the way. So I'm just trying to get better every week. I feel comfortable. I'm coming along and getting into the swing of things."

On possibly wanting to go back to running back:
"Not really, I see the running back situation and it's getting better. They're doing well over there -- with of course Ronnie coming off a big game and everything. I just focus on what I'm doing. I've already made the switch and now that I've made the switch, I'm not looking back."

Did you imagine at that point that you might not be a running back?
"Coming out of high school, you get recruited for running back but you've played defense before. One thing about recruitment that I've learned and understand is that they recruit athletes and in some instances you get changed. You have to take that in stride and make the best of the situation,"

Are there days when you meet Coach and think, 'Man I've got teammates who are still asleep?'
"I mean, once I wake up, I'm up. At 8 a.m. I have a class to be awake for and breakfast is mandatory so I have to be there anyway. But it's good to be in there, just as he's trying to learn things about me, I'm learning things about him. It's good player/coach unity."

So it's not like punishment?
"No, not at all -- I understand he's seeing things in me that can work for the future and I know I can do them. It's a benefit."

What have you learned about him?
"Nothing too drastic that I didn't already know about. He's taking more of a stand in wanting to do right for the future and taking more of an interest in his players one-on-one. Not just me, I can see him doing things one-on-one with other players. It has showed me that he really cares and trying to make the best of every situation."

On talking to the new recruits about the program:
"I just tell them the truth. This is a great program despite our record. It's not just about the record. We're building, we're getting better, we're coming together to make things happen to eventually win an ACC championship. We've got a great coaching staff, and we're on the rise."

Do you think that was your best game?
"By the stats maybe, I don't really get into that. I just know it was a good game and I'll try to keep getting better each week."

On not starting:
"It was a circumstance where some obstacles came up and I wasn't doing what I needed to do to get the job done. So they had to go with somebody else for a couple weeks. Of course my parents were doing a good job of forcing me to keep my head up and getting the starting job against Wake Forest."

"It was small things leading to big things. Not focusing and keying on your assignment, letting the tight end go when you have him on man, you try to do other things. The defense is sound and if you break down, it can be a big problem. Any time you have a weak link, you have to get somebody else."

Did you losing the staring job have anything to do with your meetings with Coach?
"I don't think that had anything to do with it. We were just in the mid-point of the season, doing different things. I think that was just on him."

Why he likes playing safety:
"I like getting 70-80 snaps a game. I'm an athlete, I want to be on the field as much as I can. I feel like this is a good spot for me. I want to make it my new home."

Ronnie McGill

Has the super-star status sunk in?
"I'm not a super star. It's just one good game. I actually thought I had more yards in the first half. I can't explain it - I didn't expect to get 244 (yards). I had no clue. When Chad came back and he asked me how I did, I figured I had about 150 or 160. When they said I had 244 at the end of the game, I was like, 'wow.'"

Were the last two or three yards the toughest after you got hit in the backfield on fourth and one?
"That was by far the toughest yard I've gotten all season. I got hit and I thought I made the yard but I didn't expect to break the tackle."

On getting in the secondary and getting runs
"By them taking out one of the two guys, it gives you less chance of getting hit and makes more space to run."

Do you see the blocking down field and the wide receiver?
"You see (the blockers) and when you get close, you get to feel what they're going to do and when you're running you're thanking them for what they're doing."

On looking up at the video board:
On the first run, I took a glance and when I scored I looked to see where the guys were. But I forgot it was up there and I just started to look up and notice it.

On seeing himself score:
"It looked amazing - like seeing yourself score on T.V. I never get to watch, so it was crazy."

His confidence:
"It boosts it up a lot, and it boosts the confidence of the offense. Earlier, we were a team that wasn't very good at running. (The last game) shows we have a good running game if we focus."

On the rhythm of being in the game:
"You have to be in the game. It's the same for every position. If you're not in the game, you don't get the feel and the speed of the team you're playing against. "

Do you expect to see the ball more now?
"It depends on what the game plan is. If we run the ball for 20 tackles, then I'll see the ball. But I don't expect to have nine carries again."

On dealing with the shifting attention from his teammates to him?
"It's not awkward. Everybody on this team is one. Attention to one of us is attention for all of us. Especially on the offensive line - if the offensive line didn't do a good job or the wide receivers didn't block down field, I wouldn't have gotten my yards."

Do you run better toward the end of the season?
"I know my yards come later in the game because the defense gets worn down."

On coming to Carolina in January and adjusting:
"I had to adjust to classes and being everywhere on time with out as much supervision as in high school. You don't have teachers writing on the board every minute. You have to know to make your meeting times and you have to know what to write down in your play book and the key points to everything."