CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina’s contingency plan at quarterback now involves linebacker Chazz Surratt, who moved to the defensive side of the ball this past winter after spending his first two seasons at UNC at quarterback.
With redshirt freshman Jace Ruder suffering an injury on the only snap he took in last Saturday’s loss to Appalachian State and possibly out for a while, the Tar Heels are likely heading into this weekend’s game versus top-ranked Clemson with just one scholarship quarterback available in starter Sam Howell.
So, as a precaution and to maybe take some of the load off of Howell, Surratt is getting some reps at quarterback.
“We just have him around for short yardage and goal line because he’s big and strong and he can do those things,” UNC Coach Mack Brown said following Wednesday morning’s practice. “So if our guys get banged up he can step in and do that.”
In 10 games at quarterback for the Tar Heels, nine as a freshman and one last season, Surratt completed 111 of 193 passes for 1,352 yards, eight touchdowns and six interceptions. He also ran the ball for 279 yards and six scores, including two 56-yard touchdown runs in 2017.
Surratt (6-foot-3, 230 pounds) was the slated starter a year ago but missed the first three games serving a suspension for his involvement in the “Shoegate” scandal and suffered a season-ending injury in the only game he played.
The Denver, NC, native moved to linebacker last December and has developed into one of the team’s top defensive players. Surratt is third on the team with 27 tackles, including three for a loss of yardage, two of which have been sacks. He has a PBU and a QB hurry, as well. He started the first three games but didn’t start this past weekend versus App State.
He was wearing a white jersey at practice Wednesday, which is what the defensive players wear. Offensive players wear Carolina blue jerseys. But THI can confirm he was taking some snaps in the shot gun.
The assumed backup is true freshman walk-on Vincent Amendola (6-foot-2, 215 pounds), who played at Leesville Road High School in Raleigh. But with Surratt’s experience at quarterback and the Tar Heels healthy with four linebackers to play two spots, Surratt included, the move makes some sense.
“He’s done a really good job,” offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Phil Longo said. “He came in in the summer, he was not a beneficiary of the spring in regard to learning the offense he also has not been asked to play. So, August for him was kind of the spring that Sam and Jace had.
“So now he’s gone through for weeks of reps and film ID and doing all the drills and everything. He’ll obviously get more team reps this week.”
Amendola came in as a preferred walk-on, so the staff clearly saw something in his they liked.
“Vince is bigger, he’s taller, he sees the field well obviously because of his size and stature,” Longo said. “He throws the ball very well. With him right now, it’s just the play list would be smaller because he doesn’t have the same amount of work and investment and time in the things that we’re doing.”
While Brown spoke about the contingency plan Wednesday, Longo did so earlier in the week.
“We’ll go to it if we need it versus Clemson,” he said.
And it’s clear now that plan includes Surratt.
