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Can Carolina beat a back-up quarterback for the first time in two years?
The most disappointing subplot to the Tar Heels’ late-season collapse in 2022 was that four of their five defeats came to teams playing reserve quarterbacks who were forced into action due to injuries to the starters.
Against Notre Dame on September 24 at Kenan Stadium, the Irish dealt UNC its first loss of the season despite five touchdown passes from Drake Maye. ND used the efficiency of back-up QB Drew Pyne in the 45-32 win.
The Heels were 9-1 and had already clinched the ACC Coastal Division title going into their last two regular-season games against Georgia Tech and N.C. State, both also at home vs. teams that lost their starting signal callers.
Carolina led the Yellow Jackets 17-0 in the first half before succumbing to a Tech rally behind Zach Gibson, who was buried on the depth chart when the season started. Gibson completed 13 of 18 passes and engineered the pass-run option as the Jackets held on to win, 21-17, and drop UNC to 9-2.
The next week was going to be difficult for Carolina due to State’s outstanding defense. But the Wolfpack was still starting third-string quarterback Ben Finley, who was best known for his older brother, Ryan, a former State star. Kid brother Ben was terrific, completing 27 of 40 passes, two for touchdowns. He even outplayed Maye, who was harassed and sacked twice by the State D before the Pack won it, 30-27, on an overtime field goal.
Same story in the ACC championship game, except that Clemson did not start freshman back-up Cade Klubnik, who came in after the first quarter and wound up winning MVP in the Tigers’ 39-10 win for the ACC title.
So, here comes Appalachian State Saturday with, guess what, a second-string quarterback getting the nod after the starter went down with an injury in the season opening win over Gardner Webb. Junior college transfer Joey Aguilar will replace Ryan Burger, who has been ruled out for 3-4 weeks.
Aguilar arrived in Boone after two years at Diablo Valley Community College in California, where in 2022 he completed 126 of 197 passes (64.0 percent) for 1,446 yards with eight touchdowns and four interceptions in six games. He rushed 65 times for 358 yards (60 yards per game).
When Aguilar came in to relieve Burger, he completed 11 of 13 for 174 yards and four touchdowns. He threw one on his first play and set a record for most TD passes by a quarterback in his App State debut.
So, is it here we go again?
Featured image via App State Athletics/Jonathan Aguallo
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