What to know from UNC football's weekly press conference

With a rivalry matchup looming for the No. 21 North Carolina football team this weekend against Duke, Coach Larry Fedora, redshirt senior quarterback Marquise Williams and sophomore tailback Elijah Hood took the podium at Kenan Football Center to discuss their upcoming game against the Blue Devils, the team's preparation and a wild weekend of college football. 

Here are some things to know from Monday's press conference.

1. Without Walker

When the Tar Heels take the field against Duke on Saturday, they will be without junior cornerback Brian Walker, who notified Fedora last Wednesday that he was leaving the team. 

As a sophomore in 2014, Walker started 12 games at cornerback, racking up 38 tackles and a team-high three interceptions. Through the first seven games in 2015, the junior started at nickelback and accumulated 12 tackles and five pass breakups in limited action. He did not play against Pittsburgh on Thursday. 

"I think he's interested in finding a place where he can maybe get more playing time," Fedora said.

Williams, who played with Walker in high school, said the junior's decision to leave affected him greatly. 

"That's more than a teammate — it's a brother ..." Williams said. "I'm going to believe in him and I'm still going to be his brother, because that goes a long way."

2. A family affair

While there will be no love lost between Duke and UNC this weekend, family bonds will still run deep.

Redshirt senior linebacker Jeff Schoettmer's father, Steve, played the same position at Duke. 

But the relationship most on display Saturday will be that of Williams and his first cousin, Carlos Wray, who starts at defensive tackle for the Blue Devils. 

Williams said Wray talked a lot of trash leading up to the cousins' contest in 2014 — a game North Carolina won 45-20. 

"He was talking about how he was going to sack me five times, he's going to get his draft stock off me and he's going to be big time off me ..." Williams said. "(After we won), he had nothing else to say."

This year, the defensive tackle has remained quiet to his cousin thus far. But Williams knows this is only temporary.

"He hasn't talked any junk yet," Williams said. "But I'm pretty sure I'm waiting on that text or phone call this week."

3. A learning experience

Because the Tar Heels played Pittsburgh on Thursday, Fedora had the rare opportunity of watching other college football games on Saturday.

Among the action he caught was the tail end of Duke's matchup against Miami, a thrilling affair which saw the Hurricanes win on a last-second kickoff return featuring eight laterals and several mistaken calls from officials. 

And while the play had no direct effect on his team, Fedora said he will utilize it to educate his future players.

"I use just about every crazy thing that happens in a season to anybody in the country, I use it all the time," Fedora said. "That right there will be a teaching moment during camp next year when we're going through that."

@jbo_vernon 

sports@dailytarheel.com