They battled for UNC QB job in 2019, now Sam Howell, Cade Fortin and Jace Ruder are all starters

Posted Aug 31, 2021
Heading into the 2019 college football season, Sam Howell won a battle with Cade Fortin and Jace Ruder for North Carolina’s starting quarterback job. All three clearly had talent and that’s the reason all three are Week 1 starters this season. The least surprising of the three, though, is Howell as the Tar Heels’ starter Friday night at 6 o’clock at Virginia Tech. (Tar Heel Tribune)

Related: Football, Football Recruiting

Video: IC Podcast - UNC Football Halfway Home
UNC Football sits at 4-2 overall halfway through the 2026 season and has exceeded expectations for nearly everyone that follows the Tar Heel program. Inside...
Tue Oct 20, 2026

Jaylen McGill on the Game Winner vs. Duke, Déjà Vu, and More
UNC running back Jaylen McGill rushed for a touchdown at Wallace Wade Stadium when he was in fifth grade, during the Carolina Bowl, where a...
Tue Oct 20, 2026

What is Belichickian? He’s never used the term
Some have described the last two gritty UNC road victories as "Belichickian." Just don’t ask him what it means. "I don’t know. You’d have to...
Tue Oct 20, 2026

2026 UNC Football Opponent Preview: Syracuse
Bill Belichick is not fooled by Syracuse’s poor record, noting that the Orange are "a few plays away" from being 6-0 as opposed to 2-4...
Tue Oct 20, 2026