Elliott On Excitement, Fast Freshmen & More
CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina starting quarterback Nathan Elliott is excited, he makes no bones about it.
He’s also quite positive about how fall camp has gone so far and where the offense stands as it is nearing the conclusion of camp, a break that will including the players moving into their homes for the school year and start of classes on Aug. 21.
“I think we’re doing a great job,” he said, following Tuesday’s practice. “Every position group is doing a great job, the defense is doing a great job. I’m really excited where we’re at right now through 10 practices. And we still have five more practices of camp to go, so we’ll use those five to maximize our time and get better.”
Personally, this is all a big deal to Elliott. With Chazz Surratt suspended for the first four games, the lefthanded junior from Celina, TX, is the starter as a result. But he could have earned the job competing with Surratt even if there was no suspension.
At this point, however, it doesn’t really matter. Elliott, who started the final three games last season and played most of the Miami game after Surratt suffered a concussion, is ready.
“I’m very excited, I can’t wait. I’ve been waiting for this moment my whole life, been praying for this moment my hole life (and) it’s finally here, so I’ve got to make the most of it.”
A year ago, Elliott entered the season as UNC’s number three quarterback, so what is different now as opposed to then in his preparation and focus, if at all?
“Not much has changed,” he replied. “I come out here to practice to be the best that I can be, the best version of Nathan Elliott I can be, and also come out here to push my teammates to be the best they can be, because that’s ultimately what matters. We want to win games and we have to do it as a team.”
*Regarding last Saturday’s scrimmage, Elliott said the reps between the quarterbacks were evenly split up. He’s pleased with how he performed.
“I felt really good. I felt confident, it felt good to be out there in a game-like situation because it’s always different when it’s game time. It was a lot of fun.”
*Elliott will have a lot more raw talent to work with when the Tar Heels open up at Cal on Sept. 1 than he did a year ago, when he took over in the depleted team’s ninth game. Among the more gifted receivers he has to work with are two players that were in high school a year ago: Dyami Brown and Antoine Green.
Brown enrolled in January and took part in spring practice, Green came in during the summer but has made tremendous progress. Both players are expected to be in UNC’s receiver rotation.
“They’re both very athletic,” Elliott said. “Dyami and Antoine both are blazing fast. They’re going to get down the field and make a play, have great hands, run great routes. I’m really happy to see how far they’ve come since they’ve been here. Dyami in the spring, he’s come a long way, and Antoine in the summer, he picked up the playbook faster than just about anyone can pick it up. And that’s really good to see.”