UNC Football: What to expect from QB Mitch Trubisky this season

Mitch Trubisky will enter his first season as the UNC quarterback

There is too long of a break for football.

I understand that with the wear it takes on the body, the players need some time off after a long season. But still the break is too long. I have often suggested a minor league system where teams could send rookies and fringe players for a ten week season (six week regular, four week playoff).

This allows rookies a chance to learn, fringe players a chance to impress, and the rest of us a chance to get football.

Thankfully there are small football things throughout the offseason to keep football in our minds. Whether it be  the combine, OTAs, or even the draft, at least there is something to keep the real fan in check for a while. One of those things is spring practice, which culminates with the spring game.

Carolina’s spring game ended back on April 16th. Some questions were answered and some were raised but it was nonetheless exciting for fans coming off a historic season. One of the worst kept secrets in college football was revealed after that game as well, that Mitch Trubisky would be the starting QB for the Heels this fall.

So after two plus seasons of Marquise Williams, what can we expect from Mitch Trubisky as the newly anointed starter? There are three things that stand out when you watch Mitch play the position.

Mitch Trubisky has an accurate arm

This was always something that Marquise struggled with. Last season Williams completed 61% of his passes. Not bad, but there were often times when he would over throw a wide open receiver or try to push it somewhere he couldn’t. Those decisions were the reason that Williams threw 10 interceptions last season as well.

However, Marquise’s weakness appears to be Mitch’s strength. Last season in limited action, Mitch completed 85% of his passes.

That is not a typo.

Last season Mitch threw 47 passes and 40 of them were caught by a receiver. Additionally he threw zero interceptions in those 47 passes as well.

In his most significant game against Delaware he went 17-20 for 312 yards and four Touchdowns.

His worst completion percentage last season was a 66.7% against Wake which was still five points higher than Williams season average.

Again most of his play was in mop up duty after the first team blew the game away. However in some ways that makes his play even more impressive as he was playing with second team receivers and backs. Toss in his opening performance in the spring game (he started 10-11 with a TD) and Mitch Trubisky brings a new element to an already potent offense.

Mitch Trubisky is a smart runner

This is obviously an area where Marquise Williams was quite proficient. In 2014, Williams led the team in rushing. In 2015, he rushed for 948 yards and 13 TDs. Williams was big and when he ran he was like a bulldozer.

Though Mitch Trubisky is more known for his passing, he is also a skilled and smart runner (he was actually ESPN’s 7th ranked dual threat quarterback coming out of high school in 2013).

Last season Mitch rushed 16 times for 101 yards and 3 TDs. His 6.3 yards per attempt was actually better than Williams average as well.

Trubisky would take what the defense gave him and proved he was a true dual threat at the position.

Mitch Trubisky is cool under pressure

I know this seems like opinion but it is actually based on his play in key situations. Here are three instances where Mitch Trubisky entered the game in a pressure situation and delivered for the Tar Heel offense.

10/25/14-UNC at Virginia

It was the fourth quarter. The Heels  down by six with just five minutes remaining got it inside the Virginia ten. On second and five from the six yard line, Williams takes a sack for a loss of 10 yards. As he is going down, Williams helmet comes off. According to the rules, he must come out for one play.

Fedora still in possession of all three timeouts, choses to not call one, which would’ve allowed Williams to reenter the game. Instead not wanting Virginia to have time to think, Fedora send Mitch Trubisky into the game.

On 3rd and 16, Trubisky connects with TJ Thorpe for 16 yards and the tying touchdown. The ensuing extra point put the Heels up one and after a trick play onside kick, the Heels left Charlottesville with the W.

11/28/15-UNC at NC State

The season before, State had come to Chapel Hill and crushed the Heels 35-7. Carolina was on a ten game winning streak and needed to beat State in order to stay in the playoff hunt.

It was the first drive of the game. Williams had driven the Heels from there own 27 all the way down to the State 5. On a second down play from the State 7, Williams rushed forward for two yards but his helmet came off. Again, Fedora had all three timeouts but chose to send Mitch Trubisky in the game

On third and goal from the five, Mitch hit Quinshad Davis for an early 7-0 lead. A field goal would’ve been a huge victory for the Wolfpack after the Heels had driven the length of the field. Instead the touchdown started a string of five consecutive scores that led to the Heels being up 35-7 going into the half on their way to their 11th win of the season.

12/5/15-UNC vs Clemson, ACC Championship Game

The Heels were playing in their first ever ACC championship game. After stopping the Tigers on their opening drive the Heels took over on their own 30 yard line. Three plays later on second and eight, Marquise Williams threw an incomplete pass. During the play, Williams’ helmet came off again.

As before the Heels had all three timeouts, but also as before Fedora chose to send Mitch Trubisky in the game. Needing to keep this opening drive alive and give the defense a longer rest, Mitch hit Mack Hollins for 16 yards and a Tar Heel first down.

The pass got the Heels to the Tigers 24 yard line. The Heels would get it down to the 8 yard line on an Elijah Hood run and penalty. Unfortunately Williams and the offense sputtered from there picking up an early penalty and settling for a field goal. However, without Trubisky’s third down completion, the Heels would’ve had to punt. Mitch Trubisky’s completion was also the only third down conversion of the half for the Heels.

All three of those plays came on third downs and either on the road or neutral locations. Not only did he make the pass each time, but he did so with no warming up and after spending the week getting second string reps.

More tar heels: UNC Football Coverage

Also all three came after Williams lost his helmet and without the benefit of a timeout. In other words the coaches put their trust in Mitch during those situations. If that is not cool under pressure I am not sure what is.

These three traits combined with possibly the best receiving core in the conference make UNC a real threat to repeat as Coastal  Champs. Toss in a power running game in the form of Elijah Hood and others and this team also has the makings of a dark horse playoff team for the second season in a row.