UNC quarterback Chazz Surratt is switching positions for the 2019 season
North Carolina redshirt junior quarterback Chazz Surratt is switching positions.
Surratt is moving to linebacker, UNC coach Mack Brown confirmed in a text message on Tuesday. Lee Pace, a writer for GoHeels.com, the university’s athletic website, was the first to tweet the news.
Surratt, who is 6-3, and was 215 pounds last season, played in 10 games as the quarterback at UNC. He played in nine games during his redshirt freshman season and passed for 1,342 yards, eight touchdowns and had three interceptions.
His season was cut short last year after he was suspended for four games for selling team-issued sneakers. He then suffered a season-ending wrist injury in his first game back.
In that lone game against Miami, he threw for 10 yards with three interceptions. He ran for 69 yards and a touchdown.
As a dual threat quarterback, Surratt was lauded for his athletic ability. Surratt, who went to East Lincoln High School in Denver, was named Parade All-America’s national high school football player of the year in 2016.
Surratt’s switch to linebacker adds depth to the position. UNC lost starting linebacker Cole Holcomb, who graduated. UNC’s defense next season will depend on its personnel, Brown said, but he wants to implement an aggressive style.
UNC was also expected to have a log jam at quarterback. With new freshman quarterback Sam Howell, at least three players could realistically be competing for starter.
Brown said Surratt asked to be moved to linebacker. Spring practice for the Tar Heels starts on March 3. The Spring game is on April 13.
This story was originally published February 26, 2019 at 11:20 AM with the headline "UNC quarterback Chazz Surratt is switching positions for the 2019 season."
