Manny Diaz Breaks Down Upcoming UNC Matchup

Nonetheless, it is a historic rivalry between two programs with immense expectations for this season. Although those goals have not been met by either side, there have been building blocks in the right direction for both teams.

While speaking with the media on Monday during his weekly press conference availability, head coach Manny Diaz covered what this weekend's contest means for his team.

Diaz's Thoughts

• "It's an important game for [both universities] in any sport that we play in," Diaz said. "It's a really big deal. To excel in anything, you have to beat the bully in your neighborhood. It's a game that our guys look forward to all year. It was a highlight of our season, for sure."

• "There are people on our team who have beaten [North Carolina] and there people on their team who have beaten [Duke]," Diaz continued. "These two teams have never played each other. That's what makes rivalry games so great because they tend to be unpredictable. We will get their best shot, and I believe they will get ours as well."

Watching film of an opponent each and every week is extremely revealing, in terms of tendencies, scheme, and overall talent displayed on the field. Diaz explained what he noticed about the Tar Heels during film study.

• "The first thing you see is a defensive front that is very disruptive," Diaz said. "When you look at the numbers, they are very hard to run the ball against. They put a lot of pressure on the quarterback; they have a ton of sacks. They are going to challenge a lot of throws down the field. They like to play man coverage, but they will [shift] into some different zones to make you think they are playing man."

• "They are finding their identity more and more on offense, playing a lot of younger players," Diaz continued. "You look throughout the course of the year, their usage, their targets, and their carries have changed as the year's gone on. They play to their strength, and they play in a lot of one-score games."

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