Trubisky plans to become ‘the guy’

Coming into spring practice, the feeling among media members and fans of the North Carolina football team is that redshirt sophomore quarterback Mitch Trubisky will be the man under center when the Tar Heels take on Georgia in Atlanta on Sept. 3.

He seems like the obvious choice. Since the start of the 2014 season, Trubisky has appeared in 19 games, completing 82-of-125 passes (65.6 percent) for 1,014 yards, 10 touchdowns and four interceptions. No other quarterback on the roster has completed a pass.

The numbers point to Trubisky as the heir apparent, but Coach Larry Fedora made it clear after UNC’s second practice of the spring Tuesday that the job, to this point, is still wide open.

No one is “the guy” just yet.

“Mitch knows he’s competing for a job,” Fedora said. “He’s competing for a job just like every quarterback that’s come through here has.”

But Trubisky feels like he already is the guy. He’s been waiting to be the guy since he stepped onto campus in January 2013.

Standing on the sidelines during UNC’s practice is Marquise Williams — “the guy” under center a season ago. Bryn Renner, “the guy” from 2011-13, stands next to him.

Both Williams and Renner had to show they were capable of being the No. 1 option during their time at UNC. Now they are helping Trubisky take that same step.

“I’ve been talking to them and they’re always giving me advice ...” Trubisky said. “They say, ‘We know you can do it.’ And just them having faith in me just gives me that much more confidence to go out there and play the game.”

Mack Hollins knows the importance of proving yourself. The redshirt junior receiver went from being a walk-on to special teams standout to the Tar Heels leading receiver in 2015. For him, the key to becoming “the guy” is acting like you are from the beginning.

“You can’t say like, ‘Oh well. He might be a starter, and I’m just good with being a two,’” Hollins said. “If you want to be the starter, you act like the starter, you play like the starter and you carry yourself like the starter.”

Trubisky feels like he is “the guy,” and throughout the first two days of spring practice he has tried to carry himself as such.

He has been at the center of a quarterback controversy on two occasions. But now the stage looks like it could be his alone. And he’s ready to prove that he belongs in the position.

“I’ve never been so excited,” he said. “I’ve been waiting. I’ve been working hard in the meantime, but it’s time to get going. It’s time to show everyone what I can do.”

@jbo_vernon

sports@dailytarheel.com