Sam Howell will start for Carolina, but expect to see Jace Ruder on Saturday

Brown, Longo would like to play both QBs

After weeks of conversation about which quarterback would take the first snap for North Carolina in Saturday’s season-opener, it certainly seems that the starter won’t be the only quarterback to see action for the Tar Heels.

“As I told them both in the room, I want them both to prepare as starters,” offensive coordinator Phil Longo said."  The plan is to have them in the plan every single week.

“They know that Sam (Howell) will start the game and we hope he plays well, and we can use him and roll with his good play. There is a package for Jace (Ruder) and/or the option to play Jace.”

Clarity has developed at the position over the past two weeks as Howell began taking first-team reps after Carolina’s second scrimmage, with Ruder and the now-departed Cade Fortin serving as the backups. With Fortin’s decision to transfer late last week, Ruder remains the backup while Vincent Amendola, a walk-on from Raleigh as the emergency third quarterback.

Throughout the process, Longo has been impressed with how the group has handled the competition.

“We have some really good character guys in the room and they all busted their tail to learn the system and they competed and they helped each other, they coached each other,” Longo said. “They all had a good relationship and I think any professional backup quarterback approaching it the right way is going to prepare like the starter.”

And that’s not just coach-speak, as Longo says he’s literally preparing Ruder as if he were the starter.

“They’re getting equal reps, so it’s not like Jace is getting less reps than Sam,” he said. “He’s repping the same gameplan, the same plays, the same number of plays; all of that, it’s identical, their preparation.”

Although the Tar Heels have largely escaped the injury bug that hit the program over the past two seasons, head coach Mack Brown pointed to recent history as yet another reason to prepare the duo to play.

“Last year, Larry had three that were knocked out of games, so you’ve got to have another guy ready,” he said. “So we’d always like to play two, then you’ve got to figure out how and we’re not there yet. When do you put them in, and does it disrupt your team and what does it take away from Sam? With both of them being so young, we feel like we’re going to need both of them to play.”

Ruder, a 6-2, 225-pound redshirt freshman, completed 4 of his 5 passing attempts for 80 yards and a touchdown last season while carrying three times for 21 yards.

While Howell is a capable runner, Ruder might be better equipped to handle a specific rushing situation.

"Jace Ruder might be the best overall athlete of the three," Longo said in August when assessing his three-man quarterback race.

As far as the when and where that Ruder could make an appearance on Saturday, Longo said it’ll be based purely on feel.

“That situation kind of takes care of itself, because if you have somebody playing well, you roll with them,” he said. “There’s a plan for both and whether or not we get to that plan is going to be dictated by the game situation. “

Here's what Jace Ruder had to say in the middle of the quarterback battle on Aug. 13.