After years of ready for his likelihood, Drew Mestemaker acquired one shot to be a beginning quarterback and made probably the most of it.
The North Texas walk-on hadn’t began a recreation at quarterback since his freshman 12 months of highschool in Austin, Texas, the place he later began at security and was an all-district punter.
However with Imply Inexperienced beginning quarterback Chandler Morris transferring to Virginia, Mestemaker made his first begin in 4 years towards Texas State within the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl on Friday. And he had a day, racking up 448 whole yards, going 26-of-41 passing for 393 passing yards and two TDs and including 9 carries for 55 yards, together with a 70-yard TD run.
That run — the second longest by an American quarterback in a bowl recreation — minimize Texas State’s result in two factors, 30-28, with 1:49 left, after which Mestemaker went to the sideline and began throwing up right into a trash can.
The freshman’s magic ended when he was intercepted with 12 seconds left, and Texas State held on for its second straight First Responder Bowl win.
Nonetheless, North Texas, which had the nation’s No. 3 passing offense this season, got here away with an unbelievable story and a possible star.
“That is the primary soccer recreation he began at quarterback for the reason that ninth grade, which is simply wild to me,” Imply Inexperienced coach Eric Morris mentioned of Mestemaker, who backed up present Louisville freshman quarterback Deuce Adams at Vandegrift Excessive in Austin. “To see him go on the market and compete the way in which he did, I imply the child, he has some traits.”
Morris, who performed receiver at Texas Tech beneath Mike Leach and was later Kliff Kingsbury’s offensive coordinator in Lubbock when Patrick Mahomes performed there, had excessive reward for Mestemaker.
“I have been round some good ones, been blessed to be round numerous NFL guys in my profession, and he has some traits which might be simply pretty much as good or higher than a few of these guys taking part in on Sundays proper now,” Morris mentioned. “I believe you noticed the athleticism, the accuracy, the decision-making. I would not be shocked if in 15 years, Drew Mestemaker’s taking part in soccer nonetheless.”
Bobcats quarterback Jordan McCloud, who beforehand performed for South Florida, Arizona and James Madison earlier than transferring to Texas State forward of this season, surpassed 10,000 profession passing yards by throwing for 307 and a landing in Friday’s win, warding off an opponent who entered with 69 profession passing yards in Mestemaker.
“Hats off to North Texas and Coach Morris,” Bobcats coach G.J. Kinne mentioned. “Their backup quarterback got here out and performed lights out. The final couple of weeks have been the craziest I have been part of in school soccer.”
North Texas was with out high huge receiver DT Sheffield (66 catches, 822 yards, 11 TDs), who transferred to Rutgers, and the Imply Inexperienced got here in as 13.5-point underdogs. Mestemaker, who had tried 5 passes in 4 appearances as a backup this season, was tasked with choosing up for Chandler Morris, who threw for 3,774 yards and 31 touchdowns this season however then left for the Cavaliers final month.
Mestemaker did that after which some:
• His 393 passing yards had been the second most in First Responder Bowl historical past, trailing solely Case Keenum’s 532 in 2011.
• His 448 yards of whole offense tied Baylor’s Sawyer Robertson for probably the most by any FBS participant this bowl season.
• His 393 passing yards had been probably the most in North Texas bowl historical past and probably the most ever for a real freshman in his UNT debut.
“The offense by no means wavered,” mentioned receiver Damon Ward Jr., who has fought via 12 surgical procedures since 2019 at North Texas and ended his profession Friday. “I am going to keep in mind the resiliency and the brotherhood we’ve. … Drew took command of the offense. He discovered all our schemes and took benefit of his alternative.”
North Texas not too long ago landed its personal quarterback switch in former Albany star Reese Poffenbarger, who threw for 3,603 yards and 36 touchdowns in 2023 and backed up Cam Ward at Miami this season.
Kinne, nonetheless, was impressed by what he noticed of Mestemaker as QB1.
“Look, that man’s athletic, he is large, clearly you noticed the run on the finish of the sport. I imply I believe it may be robust to beat that child out shifting ahead,” he mentioned.
Eric Morris agreed, saying after the sport that he is intrigued to see what Mestemaker can do going ahead for his group.
“Simply watching it proper there, he can undoubtedly lead our soccer program,” he mentioned.