University of North Carolina Athletics
Turner's Take: The Quarterback
September 18, 2016 | Football, Featured Writers, Turner Walston
Mack Hollins knew. Late in the first quarter, with Carolina trailing James Madison 14-7, Tar Heel quarterback Mitch Trubisky took the snap from center Lucas Crowley. He handed the ball to Elijah Hood, who pitched it right back to Trubisky. It was then that Hollins knew. He threw his arms up to signal a touchdown while the ball was still in Trubisky's hands. Ryan Switzer was streaking downfield. Trubisky dropped a pass right into Switzer's gloves. The wideout caught it at the JMU 38 and was off to the end zone. The 75-yard completion was the longest of Trubisky's career. Mack Hollins knew that play call would result in a touchdown. He may have also known that his quarterback was going to have a career day.
In his third start as a Tar Heel and his home debut as the starting quarterback, Trubisky had his coming-out party. He was accurate, completing 24 of his 27 pass attempts to nine different receivers for 432 yards and three touchdowns. He was patient, taking what the defense gave him, going through his progressions and making the best play possible. And he was a winner, calmly directing the Tar Heel offense as James Madison ran out to an early lead, when neither team could stop the other in the first quarter.
"He's getting better and better and more comfortable and more comfortable," Tar Heel head coach Larry Fedora said, "and as you see him get more comfortable, you're seeing Mitch Trubisky come out now. You're seeing the guy that can do all the things that we think he can do, and so I'm really pleased with the way he played."
Trubisky missed on his first pass attempt. He missed on his fourth, and his ninth. But that was it; he was perfect on his final 18. His 16th straight completion was a 23-yard pass to Austin Proehl, tying the school records for both most consecutive completions and most consecutive pass attempts without an interception (154). Two plays later, he broke both records with a ten-yard screen pass to Thomas Jackson. Of course, Trubisky wasn't aware of the records in the moment –and he seemed unfazed by them after the game– but he wasn't racking up stats with five-yard out passes. "I think someone told me," he said of the records after the game. "I already forgot, though."
The game's turning point came late in the second quarter. The Tar Heel defense was able to stop James Madison after freshmen Dominique Ross sacked JMU quarterback Bryan Schor, and the Dukes missed a 39-yard field goal attempt. On a 2nd and 19 at midfield, Switzer turned a little tunnel screen into a 21-yard gain. Two plays later, Trubisky hit Bug Howard for a 12-yard score. In less than a quarter, Carolina had pulled off a 21-point swing and given themselves a lead they would not relinquish.
"We got the ball back, and the mentality was, we've got to go and score again," Trubisky said. "Every time we got the ball, we've got to go down and score, because JMU is an explosive offense."
The Tar Heel quarterback's performance Saturday was a thing of beauty, but he wasn't doing it alone. He diagnosed coverages at the line of scrimmage and had a good idea of what he was going to be able to do. His offensive line gave him time to find receivers, his running backs picked up blocks and his receivers made their catches. The ball moved downfield, opening up things for the running game, where T.J. Logan and Elijah Hood combined for five touchdowns.
"We want to be able to spread the defense out, because they were stacking the box in the run game," Trubisky said. "So we've got to be able to spread the ball downfield to open things up in the run game."
Carolina has a veteran offensive line protecting Trubisky. They've got a one-two punch at running back that may stack up with any combo in the country. They've got a terrific array of receivers, players that can work inside and out, can find seams in the middle of the field or can go up and get 50/50 balls, that get behind defenses for lay-ups. And they've got a first-year starting quarterback who knows how to manage a game, who is patient in going through his progressions, who throws darts and can even pick up yards on the ground if that's what's needed.
Trubisky was deferential after the game, thanking his receivers, his line, his running backs and his coaching staff; he had to be begged to talk about what he did well. But Mitch Trubisky is the quarterback for Larry Fedora's offense, and Saturday, he was at his most comfortable.
At midfield in the second half, Trubisky dropped back, with time, and looked toward Austin Proehl. "Shoom!" said Bobby Hundley, assistant director of athletic communications, even before the pass was thrown. Trubisky threw a laser to Proehl for 16 yards.
"It was fun this week," he said afterward. "That's what I want to be, just lead in the guys, finishing in the end zone every time, and just continuing to lead the team and just win."
