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UNC running back Benjamin Hall and linebacker Derek McDonald postgame press conference
Sep 19, 2026
UNC running back Benjamin Hall and linebacker Derek McDonald postgame press conference
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0:02
does kind of have a little road.
0:08
>> I mean, we just got to get back to work.
0:10
We'll be all right. We're a good team. I
0:11
think we've shown we can compete on any
0:13
level. Um, you know, I got faith in my
0:16
guys, so I think we'll be all right. You
0:18
know, any frustration, uh, we just work
0:21
through it in practice and keep getting
0:23
better.
0:23
>> For you personally, like you guys were
0:25
getting close to last week, getting some
0:27
big runs. you finally got that six
0:30
tonight. What was the difference?
0:33
>> Uh just trusting it. You know, I think
0:34
as more we continue to trust the run
0:36
game, uh to continue to help us, you
0:38
know, make plays um move the ball down
0:40
the field and we just got to continue to
0:41
capitalize when we move the ball on the
0:43
field. Um got to start coming up with
0:45
seven instead of three. And I think me
0:46
personally, I need to do a better job of
0:47
getting us in that end zone. So um we'll
0:50
just keep working, man. We'll be all
0:51
right.
0:51
>> Ben, what happened after like you guys
0:53
were pretty much in control of the game
0:54
all the way up until the rain delay.
0:56
what happened you feel like after coming
0:58
out of the tunnel?
1:00
>> Uh we just got to find a way to come
1:02
back out here and just finish the game.
1:04
You know, we played a good game. Um but
1:06
when we need to be our best, we weren't
1:07
our best and I think it's a good
1:10
learning lesson for us now earlier in
1:11
the season so we can continue to just
1:12
press on. We got a lot of tough games
1:14
ahead. So, you know, uh we're a tough
1:16
team and we're going to we're going to
1:17
hold our own in those games.
1:20
>> What concerns you most about the offense
1:22
in the second half?
1:24
>> I don't think anything concerns me. We
1:25
move the ball down the field. We just
1:26
got to get seven instead of three. Um,
1:28
let our kicker, you know, do his thing
1:30
in the in the kickoff game and in the
1:32
punt game. And, you know, we need to go
1:34
get seven so he can just kick us field
1:35
goals um or pats. But, you know, we'll
1:39
be all right. Honestly, I I think I
1:41
trust in the guys on the team. I trust
1:42
in the staff and the coaches. So, I'm
1:43
not worried about where we are,
1:44
honestly.
1:45
>> Rock, what do you think was the main
1:47
reason y'all weren't able to get it over
1:50
there?
1:52
>> I mean, I don't know, honestly. If I
1:53
knew maybe we would have fixed it, but
1:56
right now we're just going to go back to
1:57
work and figure it out. Um, as we
1:59
continue to do that, you know, the score
2:00
will keep getting higher and higher.
2:01
We'll keep putting more points up, so
2:03
we'll be all right.
2:06
>> How would you assess the passing game
2:07
today as a whole? Obviously, the first
2:09
couple possessions didn't work out, but
2:10
then see if it goes down a little bit.
2:15
>> I mean, Billy's our guy. I love Billy. I
2:17
love the way he competes. Um, you know,
2:19
we want to talk about he didn't connect
2:20
the pass, but he used his legs today. He
2:22
picked up first downs. He helped us move
2:23
the change. He's helping us check runs
2:24
at the line. So, there's so much that
2:26
Billy does that doesn't show up on the
2:27
stat sheet. And, you know, Billy helped
2:30
us be in a position to win that game.
2:32
You know, we got to do a better job of
2:33
helping him.
2:33
>> Is there anything specifically you think
2:35
Clemson did to adjust mid game maybe to
2:37
try to slow down your passing game that
2:38
you saw?
2:39
>> They just finished the game. We got to
2:40
do a better job of finishing. So, if we
2:42
finish that game, then maybe we're
2:44
having different conversations right
2:45
now, but we just got to finish.
2:47
>> Bren careerhigh in rushing yards for you
2:49
today. six carries, seven carries for
2:51
first downs. When it was going well
2:53
before running game, what was working
2:54
well? Were there just a lot of holes in
2:56
front of you? How would you assess the
2:58
success there?
3:00
>> I mean, between Billy and our old line,
3:01
um, I think they helped me put me in
3:04
positions to make good plays, and I
3:06
think we got a lot of guys in the room
3:07
who can make good plays. So, um, I'm
3:09
just blessed. Um, and God allowed me to
3:13
make those plays today. So, I want to
3:15
give God the glory. Um, and just
3:17
understand that, you know, we can do
3:19
that. week in and week out. We got guys
3:20
up front. We got stuff in the run game
3:22
that can help us be consistent. So, I'm
3:24
happy where we are.
3:27
>> What um 2 and 1/2 hours is a long time.
3:29
What did you do during that rain?
3:33
>> Watch film, review tape, relax,
3:36
try to stay even, kill, not waste too
3:38
much energy. And
3:40
um
3:42
we just got to go finish that game. I
3:43
mean, I'm not mad at what we did. I
3:44
think we just got to, you know, be be
3:47
dialed in when the when the clock's
3:48
running.
3:50
During the delay, was it scripted to you
3:51
guys to run twice, run out of correctly?
3:54
>> I'm not sure. It's not my call. Um,
3:57
>> and I'm not mad at the play calls to be
3:58
honest. I think, you know, it's our job
4:01
to go punch that ball in the run game.
4:02
We've been doing it all day and I'm not
4:04
mad at the call. He trusted us to go
4:05
punch that ball in and we got to go
4:07
execute it.
4:17
um just going back to practice and you
4:19
know getting in some situations that'll
4:20
help us kind of replicate what we went
4:21
through today and you know fixing the
4:23
outcome. Um I think we'll be all right
4:25
though
4:28
obviously not you guys on the road
4:34
back. How would you assess the runs
4:37
contributions to the offense today and
4:38
just overall? How would you assess the
4:40
offense today? Like I said, not obvious,
4:44
but how would you assess overall?
4:47
>> Um, I mean, I think it was our day, you
4:49
know, in the running game, we kind of
4:51
had been sputtering game after game. Um,
4:53
we did some good in ETSU and I think
4:55
today was a good day to show that we can
4:57
play a major impact on this team. Um,
4:59
but you know, when the game's on the
5:01
line, we want to run the ball. We got to
5:02
be able to run the ball. you know, I
5:04
can't get stopped on third and three cuz
5:06
then we don't trust ourselves to run it
5:07
on fourth and one. If we're going in
5:09
second and seven in the goal line, we
5:10
got to be able to go pick up that
5:11
touchdown. So, um I think we've come a
5:14
long way, but we got some more work to
5:15
do, honestly, and I'm proud of where we
5:17
are. We got good guys in the room. Um
5:20
and I'm blessed to have a career day
5:21
today. Um my dad used to coach here at
5:23
Clemson. Uh he coached women's
5:25
basketball and so it was kind of
5:26
emotional with me coming back here.
5:27
cried all morning and I was just so
5:30
honored that God allowed me to be in
5:31
this situation to go out and execute
5:32
today. Um, so it's been an emotional day
5:35
for me. Didn't end up how he wanted it
5:37
to, but we're going to get back to work
5:39
and we're going to be better.
5:41
>> Anything else for Ben? Go
5:42
>> ahead. Did you notice anything that was
5:45
doing four? It got harder to run the
5:49
ball. Anything there?
5:51
>> I don't think it got harder to run the
5:52
ball. I don't think it got any harder to
5:53
run the ball. I think we ran the ball in
5:55
the first quarter. We ran the ball in
5:56
the fourth quarter, but with 8 minutes
5:58
left in the game, we got a finish. So, I
6:00
don't think it was very hard to run the
6:01
ball.
6:02
>> All right, good stuff. Thanks so much.
6:04
>> Possessions from Clemson offensively.
6:05
Felt like you guys were dominating the
6:06
game, controlling line of scrimmage,
6:08
everything. What switched after that
6:09
game?
6:11
>> We just didn't play with great
6:12
fundamentals the rest of the game. Just
6:13
need to finish tackles, stay on our
6:15
feet, rally to the ball. Um, I think we
6:17
lost a little bit of that. Started to
6:19
get a little tired, but uh it's
6:20
something we'll definitely work to clean
6:21
up. Mike, what impact do the offense in
6:26
you guys?
6:30
>> Uh, our offense is inability.
6:32
>> Um, I'd imagine similar things. I mean,
6:35
I'm not on the offense, but probably
6:36
lack of fundamentals and not executing
6:38
our plays properly. Um, we have great
6:40
play calls. Um, we have great players,
6:42
so we just need to execute.
6:44
>> What do you need from the offense on the
6:46
defensive side of the ball? Just keeping
6:48
guys off the field.
6:50
>> N it's not their fault.
6:52
We have to do our job. We have to get
6:53
them back on the field quicker, too. So,
6:55
it goes both ways.
6:57
>> Derek, they had that 18 play drive right
6:59
at the end of the first half. Up that
7:01
like they weren't doing anything. They
7:03
had seven first downs. Is that where
7:04
they found something that was working
7:06
with you guys? They kind of kept with
7:07
that. Is that what they did the rest of
7:08
the game? They had success or they
7:10
deviated.
7:12
>> Uh, I mean, I'd say they just started
7:13
going tempo. They tried tried to go
7:15
fast. Uh, get us out of our element, but
7:18
we just missed tackles to be honest with
7:19
you. We just got to keep the ball in
7:20
front of us, get the ball on the ground,
7:21
and play with better fundamentals.
7:27
>> Two hours.
7:29
You're watching.
7:31
So now
7:35
>> I made a few adjustments here and there.
7:37
Uh, you know, it's always a weird
7:38
situation when you're sitting in there
7:40
waiting to go back out, feel a little
7:41
antsy, but uh, we had it happen last
7:43
week, too. So, I think we should have
7:44
been better prepared to come out, play
7:46
faster.
7:48
Derek, what are the emotions after y'all
7:50
get off to such a great start and then
7:51
aren't quite against
7:54
>> I mean obviously we're disappointed. I
7:56
think losing is the worst thing, but um
8:00
you know we have a lot to look at. We
8:01
have a lot to get better at. So we'll
8:03
get better this week and next weekend
8:04
and be ready for Notre Dame.
8:06
When do you feel like momentum?
8:11
>> Uh
8:13
I don't know. Like I can't give you a
8:15
point blank moment. I think uh you know
8:18
they got the crowd into it a little bit
8:19
but then we came back out and there was
8:20
no crowd here so it was it was just us
8:23
not finishing it. Um to be honest with
8:24
you, we just we just didn't come out and
8:26
finish it out of the lightning delay.
8:28
>> Brian, did it change anything um knowing
8:31
that Steve Belch is not coming back and
8:33
and who is handling the play calling and
8:35
you feel comfortable with that aspect of
8:37
it?
8:38
>> Yeah, I mean we have a really
8:39
experienced defensive staff. Um they all
8:41
work together to put us in the right
8:42
position. So we're very comfortable. You
8:44
know, we've been doing a lot of work
8:45
this offseason with all the coaches, so
8:47
it's not really a huge change for us,
8:49
but just being able to adapt and listen
8:51
to the expertise they have.
8:53
>> AJ, you and Benjamin both said you guys
8:56
didn't finish. You came back out after
8:58
the delay. Did you have the same energy
9:00
had or did they maybe have a little bit?
9:04
>> Uh, I mean, I wasn't on their sideline,
9:05
but uh, you know, I don't think we had
9:07
enough energy for what we had. Um,
9:10
obviously I feel like we're in good
9:11
condition, so it wasn't a conditioning
9:12
thing. We were off for 2 hours. We just
9:14
came out kind of flat. Um and yeah.
9:18
>> Anything else for Derek? Last one for
9:20
Michael.
9:27
>> I mean I think sitting in the locker
9:28
room for 2 hours kind of adds to that a
9:30
little bit. But uh you know that's on us
9:31
to just mentally lock in and prepare.
9:33
It's a lot more mental than it is
9:34
physical to be honest with you. So we
9:36
just have to go out and get ready uh to
9:38
play and know where we're at in the game
9:39
and how pivotal it was.
9:41
>> Perfect. Good stuff there.
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