Tad Hudson is ready for UNC football
CORNELIUS, N.C. (BVM) – Almost a year ago, four-star quarterback Tad Hudson announced his verbal commitment to the University of North Carolina. It was early. The future Tar Heel was entering his junior year when he committed to UNC football but the QB wanted the decision out of the way so he could focus on football.
“That was one of the reasons I wanted to commit so early,” Hudson said about his early commitment.
With the decision out of the way, Hudson was able to lead William A. Hough High School to an undefeated regular season and a trip to the NCHSAA 4A state semifinals. Hudson threw for 2,601 yards with 30 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. Now entering his senior year, Hudson is ready to run it back.
“I’m excited,” Hudson said. “I’m pumped, just one last ride, go out there and have some fun and enjoy it while I can. You don’t get too many years of high school so just go out there and try to win it.”
It will be his third year being under center for Hough. As a freshman, the UNC football commit was a backup to Darius Ocean, who is currently at Western Kentucky. He learned a lot and was able to get plenty of playing time during garbage minutes of blowout wins.
But even before those opportunities to play varsity, Hudson was already becoming a promising young quarterback. Always an athletic person, he had grown up playing multiple sports but was particularly good at baseball and football.
“I was probably better at baseball going up into middle school and then it kind of switched over from there,” Hudson said.
By the time he was in eighth grade, Tad Hudson knew he had a chance to play football at a high level. He has a strong arm, a presence in the pocket and has the mobility you need to be a quarterback. After his freshman year, he was receiving interest from multiple DI programs. Then as a sophomore, he earned the starting quarterback spot.
Originally, the 6-foot-3 quarterback had Texas at the top of his list but after Mike Yurich, the Longhorns’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, left for Penn State, he began looking at other options.
“From there, UNC was the top,” Hudson said. “It was probably UNC, Arkansas and Michigan State; they were my top three. Auburn was in the mix but when it came down to it, I would say two months before (my commitment) I knew I wanted to go to UNC before I committed.”
Hudson’s sister attends UNC so she was able to give him an honest opinion about what campus was like. She could confirm any opinion he may have about the Tar Heels.
Then there was his time with the team that put the Tar Heels above the other top programs he was considering.
“Mainly the coaches and the environment,” Hudson said about why he liked UNC football. “The family feel that UNC would give off every time I went up there, it was different from everywhere else.”
Now that Hudson is a part of this family, he has been connecting with other UNC commits and talking up the Tar Heels to potential recruits. It has helped him get to know his future teammates better but recently, it did come with a little surprise.
Four-star wide receiver Christian Hamilton was announcing his commitment and Tad Hudson was in attendance when he decided to prank everyone.
“I did not,” Hudson said about not knowing Hamilton was going to surprise everyone. “I knew beforehand where he was going but he put on the shirt and my heart kind of stopped…Definitely got me for a quick second.”
Luckily the surprise only lasted a moment and then Hamilton committed to North Carolina like he was expected to. Hudson hopes to room with Hamilton when they both join UNC football next year.
Until then, Tad Hudson is enjoying high school football while he can, getting ready for the season and hopefully finishing his career with a state title.
