GoHeels Exclusive: Longo on the Quarterbacks
May 13, 2019 | Football, Featured Writers
By Pat James, GoHeels.com
A 29-year coaching veteran, Phil Longo has coached only one group of quarterbacks younger than the group he's now overseeing as North Carolina's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
The youngest group, he said, consisted of four true freshmen. This spring, he went through 15 practices with two redshirt freshmen, Cade Fortin and Jace Ruder, and one true freshman, Sam Howell. All three were challenged to compete and to try to separate themselves from the other two. But those weren't the biggest priorities.
"The No. 1 item on the agenda for the spring was for them to learn the offense, get the offense down," Longo said. "And once they learn this system, now we have to work on improving and polishing up some of those things we don't do very well. That's no different than the whole process for the entire offense."
That process began with Longo installing his entire Air Raid offense across the first four practices. He probably could've accomplished that in three, he said. But the coaching staff elected to stretch "it out a little bit to make it simpler."
The quarterbacks finished that period with a sound understanding of the offense. They didn't immediately produce, though.
"There were too many interceptions early in the process, and I was concerned about it," Mack Brown said. "I think Coach Longo was right; he said, 'Let them learn the offense. Let them learn what to do. And they'll pull it back in.' They were probably trying too hard early, trying to up the other one early. And that's why we said, 'Forget it. Just play. We just want you to play.'"
So they did. Over the next four practices, Longo said the coaches reinstalled the offense with the quarterbacks. And that paid dividends.
"I would say there was considerable improvement with the three quarterbacks from Day 1 to Day 8," he said. "Then the second half of spring ball was all about progressive situations and progressive issues with these plays, particularly with all the things Jay Bateman threw at us defensively."
All that concluded with the spring game on April 13.
Howell, the No. 3 dual-threat quarterback in the Class of 2019 according to 247Sports.com, was the first quarterback in the game, thanks to a victory in rock, paper, scissors. He completed 10 of 16 passes for 131 yards, highlighted by a 42-yard touchdown toss to Roscoe Johnson. Howell also threw an interception.
Fortin, who started two games last season, completed 2 of 6 pass for 39 yards. Ruder was 5 of 7 for 143 yards. All three quarterbacks displayed impressive arm strength and touch.
"I think our quarterbacks are in a good place. …" Brown said afterward. "We want to give all three guys a chance, and I told them, 'I would recruit all three of you guys at Texas if I was there.' If we had to start over here, I'd do the same thing. I think they're all three really good."
Their teammates agree.
"Each and every day at practice, it's so hard because they're all talented, all three of them, and they're all competing each and every day, coming in and bringing their best, their 'A' game," Patrice Rene said. "So it's a lot of fun, especially for me as a DB. The receivers are getting great balls. So having them three out there, it's really good for me."
Over the next few weeks, Fortin, Ruder and Howell will focus on improving and preparing for fall camp. A starter likely won't be named then. Instead, the coaching staff will probably make a decision closer to the Tar Heels' season opener against South Carolina on Aug. 31 in Charlotte.
But no matter who takes the first snap, the team has confidence in all three quarterbacks.
"All of those guys are impressive," Antonio Williams said. "I think we have a really good problem and that's three guys who can be the starting quarterback. Any team that has that kind of problem, they should be a good team. If you have a good quarterback, the sky's the limit."
