Chazz Surratt shuts down doubters, impresses in debut at linebacker

The former quarterback led the Tar Heels in tackles on Saturday

CHARLOTTE — Chazz Surratt has been listening.

He’s heard the whispers that he was in over his head, the doubts that he’d never be able to make a successful switch from quarterback to linebacker.

“A lot of people questioned if I can play or not, so that was definitely on my mind, a little chip on my shoulder to go out there and prove I can play at this level,” he said.

Consider the question answered after Surratt, who spent his first two seasons at playing quarterback, led the Tar Heels with 12 tackles to help Carolina top South Carolina 24-20 on Saturday at Bank of America Stadium.

After delivering so many big-time performances during his legendary high school career in the Charlotte area, he approached Saturday as just another ballgame. He followed the same routine he’s always had — stretching, getting a few final coaching points and visualizing what his success would look like on the field.

And if there was any anxiety about starting at linebacker in his first game as a member of the defense, it didn’t last long as he made a stop on South Carolina’s Bryan Edwards on the first play from scrimmage.

To the common fan, he looked like a guy who had spent his whole life at the position, coming up with a key third-down quarterback hurry and assisting on Carolina’s first sack of the game.

Eventually, he’d have a hand in another sack and break up a pass down field. Thanks to his athleticism, he even lined up in the nickel position a few times when the Gamecocks went heavy at receiver.

Naturally, as a former quarterback, he pushed all the praise to his teammates.

“I felt confident, just with the gameplan coaches prepared for us,” he said. “The players I play with are all really good, talented players so they kind of free me up and I’m able to just run around and make plays.”

That’s certainly an understatement for a guy that might not have been on the field if not for Dominique Green’s suspension.

“Can you imagine? Chazz Surratt is out there as a quarterback at this time last year, he’s never been in a college football game on defense or as a linebacker and we’re yelling at him for lining up wrong,” Carolina coach Mack Brown said. “I mean, his world, his life had to be spinning out of control.”

Surratt pointed out the mistakes and everything that would pop up on film that needs to be corrected, but for at least a few hours, he was pleased with his progress at the position he’s played for exactly 60 minutes since his freshman year of high school.

His teammates were certainly impressed, too.

“I’m very proud of Chazz,” safety Myles Wolfolk said. “He stepped up today and he did his job; he did his job very well and he showed physicality. He showed he can go out there and lead. He’s been a baller; all he had to do was go out there and show people.”