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UNC Football: Tar Heels kickoff Spring Practice on Tuesday

By Zack Pearson

Dec 5, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Larry Fedora argues a call on the field in the second half against the Clemson Tigers in the ACC football championship game at Bank of America Stadium. Clemson defeated North Carolina 45-37. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 5, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Larry Fedora argues a call on the field in the second half against the Clemson Tigers in the ACC football championship game at Bank of America Stadium. Clemson defeated North Carolina 45-37. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports /
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UNC kicks off its first spring practice of the 2017 season on Tuesday

For the first time since their loss to Stanford in the Sun Bowl, the North Carolina Tar Heels are returning to the football field.

The Tar Heels kick off their spring practice on Tuesday afternoon, giving us fans some football to look forward to.

With UNC officially kicking off spring practice, the 2017 team will have a major overhaul to it as it lost several key players to graduation or the NFL.

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The most notable are quarterback Mitch Trubisky, receivers Mack Hollins, Ryan Switzer, Bug Howard, running backs T.J. Logan, Elijah Hood and defensive tackle Nazair Jones.

UNC will look to fill the void of those players, most importantly at the quarterback position.

While the Tar Heels await the decisions of transfer quarterbacks Malik Zaire and Brandon Harris, they enter practice with three guys competing for the job.

Redshirt freshman Nathan Elliott won the backup job last season and is the favorite to win the starting job for 2017. His work begins today as he attempts to start off strong.

Fellow redshirt freshman Chazz Surratt will compete with Elliott for the starting job. The Denver, North Carolina product was the Parade national player of the year in his senior year of high school.

He’s got the talent to win the starting job and is a fan-favorite.

Then there is Logan Byrd.

Byrd is a pro style quarterback that enters the competition as a darkhorse. It will take a lot for him to win the job out of camp but he’s here to compete.

The Tar Heels will have to fix an offense that put up big numbers in both 2015 and 16, which won’t be easy to do.

On the defensive side of the ball, they lost Jones and cornerback Des Lawrence but do return some talented players.

This will be the first season in two years they won’t be coached by Gene Chizik who left the program in early February.

Related Story: Mitch Trubisky destined to be a member of the Browns?

Check back for more on the Tar Heels first spring practice of the season as they look to improve off their disappointing 2016 season.

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