Head Coach Larry Fedora will be looking to answer a lot of questions coming into the season at several positions but there might not be a bigger opening and replacement than at quarterback.
UNC lost quarterback Mitch Trubisky to the NFL this past draft, only needing one year to showcase his talent to eventually become the second pick by the Chicago Bears.
It is now time to move on and look at who might be looking to replace one of the most accurate passers in the country in Chapel Hill this season. Fedora and North Carolina have been able to stockpile recruits at the position for the past few years but could it be the experience and senior leadership of Brandon Harris that helps take over the reins for the Heels.
Harris, a transfer from LSU, comes in to Chapel Hill for his final season in college football and is looking to be the starter for one more season at Carolina but there certainly is no guarantee that he will land the starting job.
“First and foremost, he will bring a level of maturity and experience that can't be taught,” Fedora said recently in his Five with Fedora Spring Recap. “It can only be gained over time. He's played in some big time games on a national stage and that's something that can't be recreated in practice with the young guys. We like the athleticism that he shows in his game and that can help us do certain things in the offense. It will be interesting to see how he adds to the dynamic in the quarterback room. Any time you add a new face or a new perspective into a room like that I think it's a chance for everybody to learn from each other and Coach Heckendorf will know how to get the most out of that dynamic. Bottom line is we wouldn't have brought him in here if we didn't think the situation would make us a better team.”
Harris had his struggles at LSU and there is no doubt about that, as he earned the starting job in 2015, where he threw for 2,165 yards and 13 touchdowns. However, he was benched after the 2016 season opener against Wisconsin.
He never seemed to fit into the system down at LSU and certainly is a quarterback that was being used in more of a run type system. Now the dual-threat quarterback is hoping to show off more of his talents in a system that will provide him the opportunity to showcase his arm and his legs; one that he may be more comfortable in.
However, it is not a given that Harris will be the Week 1 starter, as the competition will be fierce throughout the summer days with sophomore Nathan Elliott, Chazz Surratt, and Logan Byrd.
All three have proven that they can compete and have the potential to earn a spot but Coach Fedora reminded the media recently that these three are in the same spot that Trubisky was in just over a year ago.
“I feel like from beginning to end they got better in every area,” Fedora said. “But that “end” is not where they need to be yet to say they're ready to go in week one. They still have a long way to go to fully grasp the offense when their number is called and do all the things we want to do on that side of the ball. The biggest area they all improved on was their comfort level and confidence. That also showed in how they got better with their tempo, which usually does go hand-in-hand with their comfort level. The more comfort and confidence you have, the faster you can play. The improvement in their comfort level also led to better decision-making as the spring went on, which is always an important factor in running our offense.”
Elliott may have the upper hand against Surratt and Byrd, as he shined in the Spring Game going 8-for-12 for 213 yards and three touchdowns.
But many think the experience of Harris, along with his talent, could be looked early on as the starter for the Tar Heels heading into Week 1 against California but Fedora is no stranger in using multiple quarterbacks in his system.
