A little-known walk-on quarterback was set to start for the North Texas Mean Green in the First Responder Bowl. He hadn’t started a game at the position in more than four years — yet he put on a performance to remember.
North Texas Walk-On QB Drew Mestemaker Puts on a Show in Bowl Game, Receives Heavy Praise From Head Coach
As the North Texas Mean Green prepared for the First Responder Bowl against the Texas State Bobcats, they knew they’d have their hands full defending record-setting fifth-year quarterback Jordan McCloud.
Much to everyone’s surprise, their own quarterback would out-duel McCloud.
Little was known about Mean Green starting quarterback Drew Mestemaker heading into the game. What was known? He was a true freshman walk-on from Vendegrift High School in Austin, Texas — where he started at safety, not quarterback.
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He only had the opportunity to start because Chandler Morris, the signal-caller all season for the Mean Green, had transferred to Virginia prior to the bowl game.
Enter Mestemaker, making his first start at quarterback since his freshman year of high school.
From the moment the game began, it was clear Mestemaker belonged.
On North Texas’ second possession, Mestemaker completed a throw to a seam route — directly over a defenders helmet. Receiver Miles Coleman scored on the 46-yard touchdown thanks to Mestemaker’s pinpoint accuracy.
On the day, Mestemaker completed 26 of 41 passes for 393 yards and two touchdowns. Those 393 yards equaled a North Texas school record for most passing yards in a bowl game, as well as most ever in a debut as a true freshman.
But it wasn’t just his arm that hurt the Bobcats’ defense.
Mestemaker, down 21-30 with just under two minutes remaining in the game, needed to score quickly. And that’s exactly what he did, escaping the pocket and scampering down the sideline for a 70-yard touchdown to extend the game.
He finished with 448 total yards, tying Baylor’s Sawyer Robertson for the most by any FBS player in bowl season.
Mestemaker showcased numerous next-level throws throughout the game. North Texas head coach Eric Morris agreed as such.
“I’ve been blessed to be around a lot of NFL guys in my career, and he has some traits that are just as good or better than some of those guys playing on Sundays right now. I think you saw the athleticism, the accuracy, the decision-making.”
Morris has coached quarterbacks such as Patrick Mahomes, Case Keenum, Gardner Mindshew, and Cam Ward, among others.
He continued, saying, “I wouldn’t be surprised if in 15 years Drew Mestemaker is playing football still.”
Despite the loss, Mestemaker put his name squarely on the map within college football circles. He should be firmly in position to earn the starting quarterback job for the Mean Green in 2025 — or, in this age of college football, somewhere else if he chooses.
Based on what he showed on the field, along with a vote of confidence from his head coach, this won’t be the end of hearing the name Drew Mestemaker.
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