University of North Carolina Athletics
Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
GoHeels Exclusive: Elliott Steps Up
October 28, 2017 | Football, Featured Writers
By Pat James, GoHeels.com
Nathan Elliott sensed it coming.
For seven weeks, Elliott, the odd man out in a preseason quarterback competition with Brandon Harris and Chazz Surratt, didn't see the field. Harris opened the season as North Carolina's starter, and he and Surratt split snaps until Surratt seized the job.
In Week 8, Elliott finally played. He attempted three passes, all incompletions, after Harris and Surratt both left the loss against Virginia Tech with injuries.
But with Harris limited in practice this week because of an injury, Elliott saw more reps. And with those, he supposed an opportunity to prove himself might come.
"I don't know what it was," Elliott said. "But coming into this game, I just had a feeling I was going to (play quite a bit), and I prepared like I was going to. And I'm glad I did."
With Harris in street clothes Saturday and Surratt forced to exit the game after a first-quarter hit, Elliott entered for the Tar Heels and completed 16-of-39 passes for 173 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions. He also rushed for 79 yards on 21 carries.
Behind him, just 37 yards separated UNC from taking the lead over No. 8 Miami with about two minutes left. But Jordon Brown fumbled, the Hurricanes recovered and they ran out the clock for a 24-19 win at Kenan Stadium.
The loss dropped the Tar Heels to 1-8, 0-6 ACC. But off the bench, Elliott provided hope amid a frustrating season.
"I thought he was really gritty and played really tough," Larry Fedora said. "He ran the ball and did some things and gave us some opportunities. There was one ball that he probably didn't need to throw that he pressed on, but you know what? That kid, as many reps as he has gotten, he went out there and I thought he did a heck of a job."
But Elliott's performance wasn't a matter of happenstance.
The lone returning quarterback with any college experience, Elliott, Mitch Trubisky's backup last season, asserted himself as one of UNC's leaders this summer. On those sweltering June and July days, Anthony Ratliff-Williams said Elliott was the one speaking up and encouraging teammates during the team's running regimen.
"He was just kind of taking over that leadership role early," Ratliff-Williams said. "The fact that he went down a certain point on the depth chart, he didn't let that affect anything. He was still on the sidelines talking to guys when he wasn't playing."
So there Elliott was Saturday, directing the offense on the field with assertion. On the sideline, he continued preaching and keeping his teammates engaged.
"That was big on his part, understanding what the circumstances were when he was coming into the game and keeping his head on straight," Ratliff-Williams said. "That gave everyone else the positivity to know that we were going to be fine."
The Tar Heels also found solace in Elliott's preparation.
As the third-string quarterback, Elliott doesn't practice with the scout team. His reps come with the actual offense. And on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, when M.J. Stewart said he visits the weight room to stretch, he always sees Elliott there.
"He's either lifting or doing some agility drills," Stewart said. "That's what a lot of people don't see. He has that 'it' factor. He's a gamer. He's been backing up quarterback after quarterback, but he's always been working on his game."
So even after throwing just 12 career passes before Saturday and then three interceptions against the Hurricanes, Elliott seemed unfazed by the moment. He took each mistake in stride. And when he returned to the field, he kept trying to make whatever plays he could to help lead UNC to its first win over a top-10 opponent since 2004.
Elliott's 5-yard scamper and the 15-yard penalty he drew on a late hit seemed like they might put the Tar Heels in position for such a victory with about two minutes left. The homecoming crowd stood and cheered. The players on the UNC sideline did the same.
They all found hope in Elliott.
"That's what I dream about," Elliott said. "I think that's what every little kid who plays football dreams about – having the chance to beat the No. 8 team in the country, having two minutes on the clock with the ball in their territory. Unfortunately, we just came up on the other side of that."
But you might sense another opportunity for Elliott is coming.
Nathan Elliott sensed it coming.
For seven weeks, Elliott, the odd man out in a preseason quarterback competition with Brandon Harris and Chazz Surratt, didn't see the field. Harris opened the season as North Carolina's starter, and he and Surratt split snaps until Surratt seized the job.
In Week 8, Elliott finally played. He attempted three passes, all incompletions, after Harris and Surratt both left the loss against Virginia Tech with injuries.
But with Harris limited in practice this week because of an injury, Elliott saw more reps. And with those, he supposed an opportunity to prove himself might come.
"I don't know what it was," Elliott said. "But coming into this game, I just had a feeling I was going to (play quite a bit), and I prepared like I was going to. And I'm glad I did."
With Harris in street clothes Saturday and Surratt forced to exit the game after a first-quarter hit, Elliott entered for the Tar Heels and completed 16-of-39 passes for 173 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions. He also rushed for 79 yards on 21 carries.
Behind him, just 37 yards separated UNC from taking the lead over No. 8 Miami with about two minutes left. But Jordon Brown fumbled, the Hurricanes recovered and they ran out the clock for a 24-19 win at Kenan Stadium.
The loss dropped the Tar Heels to 1-8, 0-6 ACC. But off the bench, Elliott provided hope amid a frustrating season.
"I thought he was really gritty and played really tough," Larry Fedora said. "He ran the ball and did some things and gave us some opportunities. There was one ball that he probably didn't need to throw that he pressed on, but you know what? That kid, as many reps as he has gotten, he went out there and I thought he did a heck of a job."
But Elliott's performance wasn't a matter of happenstance.
The lone returning quarterback with any college experience, Elliott, Mitch Trubisky's backup last season, asserted himself as one of UNC's leaders this summer. On those sweltering June and July days, Anthony Ratliff-Williams said Elliott was the one speaking up and encouraging teammates during the team's running regimen.
"He was just kind of taking over that leadership role early," Ratliff-Williams said. "The fact that he went down a certain point on the depth chart, he didn't let that affect anything. He was still on the sidelines talking to guys when he wasn't playing."
So there Elliott was Saturday, directing the offense on the field with assertion. On the sideline, he continued preaching and keeping his teammates engaged.
"That was big on his part, understanding what the circumstances were when he was coming into the game and keeping his head on straight," Ratliff-Williams said. "That gave everyone else the positivity to know that we were going to be fine."
The Tar Heels also found solace in Elliott's preparation.
As the third-string quarterback, Elliott doesn't practice with the scout team. His reps come with the actual offense. And on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, when M.J. Stewart said he visits the weight room to stretch, he always sees Elliott there.
"He's either lifting or doing some agility drills," Stewart said. "That's what a lot of people don't see. He has that 'it' factor. He's a gamer. He's been backing up quarterback after quarterback, but he's always been working on his game."
So even after throwing just 12 career passes before Saturday and then three interceptions against the Hurricanes, Elliott seemed unfazed by the moment. He took each mistake in stride. And when he returned to the field, he kept trying to make whatever plays he could to help lead UNC to its first win over a top-10 opponent since 2004.
Elliott's 5-yard scamper and the 15-yard penalty he drew on a late hit seemed like they might put the Tar Heels in position for such a victory with about two minutes left. The homecoming crowd stood and cheered. The players on the UNC sideline did the same.
They all found hope in Elliott.
"That's what I dream about," Elliott said. "I think that's what every little kid who plays football dreams about – having the chance to beat the No. 8 team in the country, having two minutes on the clock with the ball in their territory. Unfortunately, we just came up on the other side of that."
But you might sense another opportunity for Elliott is coming.
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