The stories of a Carolina quarterback and a former QB.

Sam Howell looks like he is in contention to be the All-ACC quarterback, if not then ACC rookie of the year. Howell leads the conference with 20 touchdown passes, which has already set a new UNC freshman record, with at least five games remaining. He is also first in the ACC in total passing yardage with 1892.

Wake Forest sophomore Jamie Newman, who is from Graham, has thrown for 295 yards per game to Howell’s 270, and leads in pass-completion percentage, 67 to 61. Newman also has a slight advantage in passing efficiency, however that is calculated.

It is a different battle of brothers at the two schools. Wake wide receiver Sage Surratt is definitely All-ACC with big leads in 881 total yards receiving and touchdowns with nine. His older brother Chazz may be the more amazing story, having switched to linebacker at Carolina after two injury-riddle seasons as a Tar Heel quarterback.

Chazz led his team again tackles at Virginia Tech with 17, including seven solos. He is listed as No. 4 overall tackler in the ACC with the most total tackles, plus his four sacks and tackles for losses are among the leaders the league. More impressively, almost from his first game at the position this season, Surratt has looked like a natural on defense.

He plays with the same abandon he did at quarterback, where he ran hard but could not escape injuries. On defense, he has a nose for the football and his lateral speed allows him to get to the ball carrier or receiver quickly.  And the two-time North Carolina Athlete of the Year for his play in football and basketball is still learning.

Surratt wears No. 21 this season, trading in his No. 12 on offense. And, so far, he looks about nine times better at linebacker than he was at quarterback. But having played on offense seems to give him a sense where the opposing quarterback is going with the ball, either on the ground or through the air.

Mack Brown has certainly made the right move on the quarterback front twice, getting Howell to flip his commitment from Florida State and agreeing with Surratt when he said he wanted to switch to linebacker in their first meeting last winter.

Both players look like they’re headed for All-ACC props.

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