2022 UNC Football Preview: Quarterback position
Arguably the biggest storyline for the UNC football program going into this season is at the quarterback position. With Sam Howell off the NFL, UNC has it’s first true quarterback competition since the 2019 offseason.
Redshirt freshman Drake Maye and sophomore Jacolby Criswell have been battling it out all offseason to win the starting job. And so far, no true leader has emerged which could be a good or bad thing.
Head coach Mack Brown and his staff aren’t holding back in this contest and are throwing everything at the two. As training camp continues on, it doesn’t appear we are any closer to naming a winner and UNC could wait until the week of their opening game to decide who gets the nod.
As the regular season approaches, we decided to kickoff our position preview with the quarterback position and look at not only Maye and Criswell but the depth behind them.
2021 Review
Sep 11, 2021; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Sam Howell (7) looks to pass in the third quarter at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Going into the 2021 season, many expected it to be the last for quarterback Sam Howell. The Tar Heels entered the season with high expectations, being ranked No. 10 in the preseason polls. But it ended in disappointment.
UNC’s offense struggled all season long as the line couldn’t protect Howell and the quarterback didn’t have many weapons to target in terms of receiving options. That led to struggles all around despite Howell turning in a season in which he completed 62.5 percent of his throws for 3,056 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions.
Howell had to add a new element to his game in terms of scrambling and taking off with the ball. He had 183 rushing attempts for 828 yards and 11 touchdowns. That’s an impressive stat line but not one you really want your quarterback to have.
Drake Maye
North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye (10) looks to pass against Wofford during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Chapel Hill, N.C., Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
Redshirt freshman Drake Maye enters this season appearing in four games a year ago. He made his debut against Georgia State and appeared in games against Duke, Wofford, and the team’s bowl loss to South Carolina.
Career stats: 7 for 10 (70%), 89 yards, 1 touchdown, 0 interceptions
Jacolby Criswell
Dec 5, 2020; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Jacolby Criswell (6) with the ball in the third quarter at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Sophomore Jacolby Criswell was a four-star recruit in UNC’s 2020 class and has made three appearances in 2020 and four in 2021. Last season, Criswell made his first career start against Wofford and threw his first touchdown pass, connecting with Bryson Nesbit for a 47-yard touchdown.
Career stats: 16 for 25 (64%), 195 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception
Conner Harrell
Sep 13, 2019; Winston-Salem, NC, USA; A North Carolina Tar Heels helmet lays on the sidelines during the fourth quarter against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at BB&T Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
The Alabama native is a three-star recruit that committed to UNC as part of their 2022 recruiting class. Harrell enrolled early to get extra offseason work in with the team. Harrell was named the Alabama Sports Writers Association 7A Back of the Year in 2021 and was a first-team all-state and an all-county selection.
Depth chart
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA – NOVEMBER 20: Drake Maye #10 of the North Carolina Tar Heels looks to the bench during the second half of their game against the Wofford Terriers at Kenan Memorial Stadium on November 20, 2021 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The Tar Heels won 34-14. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
Projected starter: Drake Maye/Jacolby Criswell
Backup: Drake Maye/Jacolby Criswell
Depth: Conner Harrell, Jefferson Boaz, Russell Tabor
Biggest question
Nov 2, 2019; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Mack Brown (right) takes the field prior to a game against the Virginia Cavaliers at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
The obvious question here is who will be the starter? But for this preview I’m going to ask if the starter will remain in that spot all season long?
There’s a chance that this race could be tight up until the week of Game 0 in Chapel Hill. If that’s the case, then we almost could see an approach where UNC uses both players until someone really emerges. That’s not ideal and you want one guy to really win the battle but there are cases in which that happens.
No matter who the starter is, the goal is for that player to play the entire year and play well. It means they are consistent and can hold down the spot while the other is the backup.
How long the leash is for the starter is a big storyline for the position. This is something to keep an eye on moving forward not only the next few weeks but during the season as well.
Position Pipeline
Sep 30, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Detailed view of a North Carolina Tar Heels helmet on the field before a game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
While the focus is on this season, UNC does need to keep some prospects in the pipeline at quarterback. Let’s just say Maye or Criswell play two years as a starter, UNC could be looking at a situation in 2024 or 2025 where they need a replacement. Let’s look at the pipeline below:
Jacolby Criswell (c/o 2020)
Drake Maye (c/o 2021)
Conner Harrell (c/o 2022)
Tad Hudson* (c/o 2023; 4-star)
*Committed
