CHAPEL HILL – Larry Fedora gave a matter-of-fact answer to a question Monday evening about his quarterback situation. That in and of itself qualifies as news.

For a month, junior Nathan Elliott has been North Carolina’s starter while sophomore Chazz Surratt served a suspension for his role in what has become known as “Shoe Gate.” Given that, Fedora acknowledged Elliott was his starter in August and never wavered.

So, with Surratt now available and Elliott having struggled prior to this past Saturday’s win over Pittsburgh, in which he passed for 313 yards and threw two touchdowns with no interceptions, questions about who will start Thursday was the soup du jour among the media at the team’s only press access this week.

Even with Elliott’s numbers, the game plan the staff built for him was obviously limited, thus the justification for the questions.

While Fedora was in classic form answering but not answering questions, he did get one thing out of the way without mincing words.

“Yes, he is,” the coach replied after being asked if Elliott will start in a few of nights at Miami.

But that’s about where Fedora stopped. He gave the Tar Heel football universe that much, and that was it.

So, the media was forced to find creative ways to inquire about the position with respect to Surratt now being available. The seventh-year UNC coach was ready and swatted away the questions like it was his personal mission, one he clearly enjoyed.

For example, does the evaluation process change now that Surratt is available to play in a game compared to the first four weeks when even Fedora acknowledged Elliott was the starter?

“No, the evaluation process doesn’t change,” Fedora replied.

Does Fedora anticipate Surratt getting much playing time?

“I don’t know, he could, he could,” Fedora responded, before smiling. “He could and he couldn’t. He could and he couldn’t.”

Depending on what?

“Depending on what I think,” the coach replied.

Now, after the suspensions were announced in early August, Fedora said practice reps for suspended players would be scaled back some as they got closer to the actual season beginning. That was to allow those who would get into games more reps to improve their preparation.

That included curtailing Surratt, who served as the scout team quarterback for the last month. So what have the reps been like as the Tar Heels get ready for the Hurricanes?

“Same way we’ve been handling them all fall,” Fedora said. “When we knew (Surratt) wasn’t going to play he was still getting reps. He’s been getting reps with the ones and the twos and he’s been working with the scout team. Now he’s back with us working with the ones and the twos.”

For clarification, is it more than in August?

“He’s definitely getting more than in those first four weeks,” Fedora said, offering another actual nugget of information.

Where is he on the depth chart now: Is he third behind Elliott and true freshman Cade Fortin because of the situation or does he back up Elliott because he has experience?

“I’ll say ‘yes’ to both your questions,” Fedora answered, again smiling.

So, there you have it.

Surratt is back and he may or may not play, but he’s getting increased reps. And Fedora isn’t showing his hand other than Elliott will be the first UNC quarterback to run onto the field with the offense Thursday night.

That’s that.