Redshirt freshman Drew Mestemaker will be named the starting quarterback for North Texas, a source tells Dave Campbell’s Texas Football. Mestemaker, who starred in the Mean Green’s bowl game against Texas State last season, beat out Miami transfer Reese Poffenbarger in a heated battle that took place in the spring and into preseason camp. 

Mestemaker, who graduated from Austin Vandegrift, played in five games last season with one start. He finished with 462 yards and two passing touchdowns and rushed for 87 yards and a score. He was 26 of 41 for 393 yards and two touchdowns through the air in the two-point loss to Texas State in the First Responder Bowl, while adding 55 yards and a score on the ground. It was his first start at QB since he was in ninth grade at Vandegrift. He backed up some big time prep quarterbacks and became an all-district safety. 

North Texas starts Year 3 of the Eric Morris era on Aug. 30 at home against Lamar. Mestemaker is the third different starting quarterback in Week 1 for Morris in his tenure as the Mean Green lost the previous two to the transfer portal. While at North Texas, Morris has engineered one of the most prolific offenses in the nation and is considered one of the top play callers in the sport.