Richmond quarterback Kyle Wickersham likely will not read this piece. But if he does, he’ll know that among his admirers is none other than Bill Belichick.
The UNC head coach spoke highly of the Spiders’ veteran signal-caller this week, comparing Wickersham’s 6-foot-4, 260-pound frame to a future NFL Hall of Famer.
“He’s kind of like Ben Roethlisberger,” Belichick said. “He’s really big. He’s strong, he’s a physical runner. He’s got a stiff arm, long arms, tough guy to tackle. He’s a good downhill runner, so he doesn’t shy away from contact. You’ve gotta bring him down. That’ll be a big challenge for us, no doubt about it.”
As Belichick noted, Wickersham is just as capable with his legs as with his arm: through two games this season, he’s the Spiders’ leading passer and rusher. Belichick’s New England Patriots certainly knew how to give “Big Ben” Roethlisberger’s Pittsburgh Steelers fits, and he’ll hope to do the same to Wickersham and Richmond in Chapel Hill tomorrow.
Belichick’s inside linebacker coach, Jamie Collins, is uniquely positioned to appreciate his boss’ comparison. Collins played for Belichick’s Patriots across six seasons in the NFL, and during that time he met Roethlisberger’s Steelers four times. Collins said this week UNC will be ready for the challenge, though even the former Pro Bowler admitted Wickersham is different from most QBs.
“You’ve gotta remind them every day of the situation, and that’s him being a big quarterback,” said Collins. “Something we ain’t seen. I ain’t ever seen a 260-pound quarterback. Big Ben was big, but I don’t know if he was 260. But you just drill it in them every day. I let them know what we’re up against.”
What the Tar Heels are up against is a proven winner. Wickersham led Archbishop Rummel High School in his native Louisiana to a state title as a junior. He was the top quarterback recruit in the entire state before committing to Richmond.
The Spiders have seen consistent success with Wickersham on their roster, winning a combined 28 games over the last three seasons, reaching the FCS playoffs and finishing the season ranked each year. In 2023, Wickersham led the entire FCS with a completion percentage north of 72 percent.
He and Richmond will challenge a Carolina defense which played better in the 20-3 win at Charlotte last weekend, picking off a pair of 49er passes and registering its first sack of the season. Especially noteworthy is the fact that UNC allowed just 21 yards on the ground. Much of that had to do with better form tackling, a growth process which defensive lineman D’Antre Robinson said is still ongoing as Carolina readies for Wickersham.
“Preparing for him, you’ve gotta focus on tackling,” Robinson said Thursday. “Tackling is a big part of the game this week, because he’s a big quarterback. He’s not gonna go down easy. We’ve gotta focus on tackling a lot this week.”
For Collins, himself a ferocious tackler in his playing days, it all comes down to mentality.
“You’ve gotta have the right type of mindset when you’re playing teams like this,” he said. “I drill it every day and let them know that they’re coming in here to try to run the ball.”
Belichick’s comparison of Wickersham to Roethlisberger may seem far-fetched, but the head coach had his fair share of run-ins with the Pittsburgh legend: they met 11 times altogether, with Belichick’s teams winning seven. Collins said many of the same messages Belichick used to prepare for Roethlisberger’s Steelers are being communicated this week. In that respect, if nothing else, the Tar Heels truly are turning into “the 33rd NFL team.”
Featured image via Richmond Athletics
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