UNC enters Coastal Week with goals intact

Two words. One cry.

For the past two weeks, the No. 12 North Carolina football team has rallied around a theme devised by junior receiver Mack Hollins.

With a chance to retain possession of the Victory Bell, he roamed Navy Field leading up to the Tar Heels’ 66-31 victory over Duke yelling, “Duke Week!”

And when Coach Larry Fedora told his team it could become only the second group in program history to finish the season 7-0 at home prior to UNC’s 59-21 triumph over Miami, Hollins changed the mantra to History Week.

So entering Saturday’s game at Virginia Tech with a chance to claim the Coastal Division crown, Hollins sat in Tuesday’s team meeting brewing over this week’s theme. Then, in a eureka moment of sorts, he screamed, “Coastal Week!” The name has stuck.

“It is Coastal Week,” said redshirt senior linebacker Jeff Schoettmer. “We’ve got an opportunity to clinch our side of the division, and we understand what’s at stake.

“The guys are more focused than ever. We’re not worried about who we’re playing, where we’re playing, who is coaching the team we’re playing. We’re just worried about what we can control, and if we get this win, then we’re Coastal champs.”

Since Fedora arrived at UNC in 2012, his goals for his team have remained the same — a Coastal Division championship and a state championship, wins over Duke, N.C. State and Wake Forest. With a victory on Saturday, the Tar Heels would accomplish the former for the first time.

The achievement would give North Carolina an opportunity to claim its first ACC championship since 1980 and potentially a chance to compete in the College Football Playoff.

But no matter what the future holds, the team’s primary goals remain at the forefront.

“There’s no need to change,” Fedora said. “Why? Why would we change it? We’re like trained pigs. We’ve got something; we just keep doing it over and over and over.”

UNC has now won nine consecutive games for the first time since 1914. And after falling short of its goals the past three seasons, Coastal Week is finally here.

“It’s never been something we’ve really been able to realize or really come close to,” Hollins said. “My first year was the closest, but we were on probation — so that doesn’t really count. But now we actually have a chance, and it’s in our hands — it’s not like someone has to lose for us to win.

“If we win, we win. That’s it. It’s a great feeling to have it in your hands and know whatever you do is what’s going to decide your fate.”

@patjames24

sports@dailytarheel.com