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UNC Football: Larry Fedora speaks on quarterback battle

By Zack Pearson

TALLAHASSEE, FL - OCTOBER 01: Head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels Larry Fedora watches his team before the game against the Florida State Seminoles at Doak Campbell Stadium on October 1, 2016 in Tallahassee, Florida. (Photo by Jeff Gammons/Getty Images)
TALLAHASSEE, FL - OCTOBER 01: Head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels Larry Fedora watches his team before the game against the Florida State Seminoles at Doak Campbell Stadium on October 1, 2016 in Tallahassee, Florida. (Photo by Jeff Gammons/Getty Images) /
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Larry Fedora speaks on the Tar Heels quarterback battle for the upcoming season

The North Carolina Tar Heels enter the 2017 season with question marks in all three phases of the game.

With the offense losing quarterback Mitch Trubisky to the NFL, the Tar Heels will quickly have to found a replacement at a key position for the team. That’s easier said than done.

One thing head coach Larry Fedora has is options.

Going into the 2017 ACC Kickoff, Fedora has yet to name a starter for the upcoming season and plans on hosting a quarterback competition for training camp.

UNC landed LSU graduate transfer Brandon Harris in the offseason and returns Manny Miles (Jr.), Nathan Elliott (So.), Chazz Surratt (R-Fr.) and Logan Byrd (R-Fr.). All are expected to compete for the starting job with Harris as the early favorite.

But Fedora knows exactly what he wants in his starter.

“The guy that’s going to win that job is going to be a guy that can lead our football team, one,” Fedora said at the ACC Kickoff.  “He’s got to be able to make good decisions and take care of the football, and if he does those things, keeps moving those chains beyond the white lines, then he can be a guy that can help us be successful.”

Fedora also noted with reporters that he wants Harris to know the playbook before they begin their preseason training camp.

Replacing a player like Trubisky is a tough thing to do. With UNC losing their top three receiving targets and top two running backs, the Tar Heels offense will look a lot different this season.

Still, the goal remains the same for UNC as Fedora illustrated the importance of recruiting and bringing new guys in.

“We lose guys every year in college so you hope you’ve done a good job of recruiting and building a program,” Fedora said.

Part of that process includes being able to plug guys into spots where they can succeed and help the program.

That’s what Fedora will have to do this year and he’s looking for someone to step up.

“I think we’re going to find out this year if we can plug and play,” Fedora said. “It’s time for guys you don’t know to step up and become household names.”

As for what he sees in the depth of the quarterback position? Well, Fedora spoke specifically on redshirt freshman Chazz Surratt, complimenting him by saying he’s progressed well.

Surratt sat out last season, trying to pick up the offense and watch how Trubisky ran it for Fedora and his staff.

He’s considered to be the future of the position and even if he loses out to the more experienced Harris during training camp, he can go into next year as the favorite.

Grooming the dual-threat quarterback Surratt seems to be the plan for the future of the program.

Now let’s just see if it matures like Fedora wants.

Next: Bentley Spain named to Outland Trophy watch list

The Tar Heels will open up training camp in August. They will play Cal on September 2nd to open up their 2017 season.

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