Caught in the middle of the investigation, controversy and distractions surrounding UNC football are the players who still have to take the field.
They’re the ones who have to suit up and play while questions continue to swirl around the program.
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On Monday, much of the message centered on what comes next. For the Tar Heels, that means Saturday’s home game against East Tennessee State.
Players who spoke with reporters emphasized keeping their focus on the next opponent, echoing Bill Belichick’s familiar attention to what’s immediately ahead.
“I’m gonna be honest with you, no one or anyone in this building is losing any sleep over that,” running back Benjamin Hall said.
UNC beat TCU 15-10 in its season opener in Dublin, Ireland, on Aug. 29. The defense, without defensive coordinator Steve Belichick, made two critical fourth-down stops in the second half to preserve the lead.
Offensive lineman Christo Kelly, one of the team’s leaders, said players have taken an active role in keeping the group focused on football.
“Everyone's bought into what we're doing here,” Kelly said. “You can see the results, the progress that's starting to show.”
“We got such a great group, such a close team, and we're really looking forward to building on it in practice this week,” Kelly said.
