Six freshmen played in UNC's opening game. Roy Williams gives a breakdown on how each of them are doing early in the season.
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00:00 I think that that helps them.
00:01 You know, we showed them training tapes
00:03 from what we want to do and what it should look like.
00:06 But it's human nature.
00:08 You're going to have more interest and more focus
00:10 when it's you doing it.
00:11 So I think they gained something from that as well.
00:14 Well, what he did Wednesday, the activity and rebounding
00:19 and those things he's done almost every single day
00:20 at practice, so nothing surprised us.
00:24 We do expect it now because we've seen it for one game
00:27 in 32 practices, but it's got to get much better
00:31 being able to play the game without fouling
00:34 because I'd like for him to play more at certain games I know,
00:39 and he's going to be sitting over there with me
00:42 because the officials have called silly fouls on him.
00:45 His first foul the other night was completely unnecessary.
00:49 We've got to get him away from that.
00:51 Of course, in the post area, you're going to get some fouls,
00:54 but you can't have a foul 35 feet from the basket
00:57 just by bumping somebody a little bit.
00:59 So we've got to get him away from those things,
01:01 but he has a tremendous ability to rebound the ball
01:05 and dominate things inside,
01:06 and that's what we're hoping that we get even more of.
01:09 Well, the statistics on the offense have been good.
01:12 Both of them had some big-time defensive errors there.
01:16 So that was Wednesday night. Thursday was off, I think it was.
01:19 We practiced Friday, Saturday, Sunday,
01:22 and we'll practice today.
01:25 But I think just getting them out there
01:27 and getting their sea legs back underneath them,
01:28 if you'll let me use that terminology,
01:30 is the biggest thing. And they missed several practices.
01:34 And so we did add things during the time periods
01:37 that they were out.
01:38 So trying to get them caught up with the other part,
01:40 the rest of the team, is something that's important, too.
01:43 It's hard for him because he's a quiet kid.
01:46 But if you want to be a great defensive player,
01:48 you've got to be very vocal.
01:50 And so he's got to change in that part.
01:52 But he did not have the kind of game
01:55 that he wanted to have the other night.
01:56 He said some practices where he's made some shots,
01:59 he's gotten better defensively, he's continuing to improve.
02:03 So we're looking for more things down the road.