Quarterback battles in spotlight for UNC, Duke football spring games
UNC and Duke football will play their annual spring games on Saturday.
The Tar Heels kick things off at 3 p.m. inside Kenan Stadium and the Blue Devils will get things rolling at 6 p.m. inside Wallace Wade Stadium.
Admission is free for both scrimmages, but UNC’s spring game won’t be televised. The Blue Devils will be featured on ACC Network.
The Tar Heels were 8-5 in 2023, including a 4-4 record in the ACC, under head coach Mack Brown. Like UNC, Duke finished with an 8-5 record, but the Blue Devils are entering their debut season under head coach Manny Diaz.
The defenses will look different with former Georgia Tech coach Geoff Collins taking over for the Tar Heels and Diaz, known for his defensive background, leading the Devils.
But most of the attention this weekend will be on the quarterbacks at each school.
With Drake Maye gone, who will be UNC football’s quarterback?
Conner Harrell vs. Max Johnson. Both players will get the opportunity to show they’re capable of being the quarterback to follow Drake Maye, who is expected to be a top-five pick in the NFL Draft.
Johnson, who arrived in Chapel Hill via the transfer portal after four seasons in the SEC, has compiled 5,853 passing yards, 47 touchdowns and 12 interceptions across 30 games. The lefty has experience on his side, but Harrell has shown flashes of his skill and potential.
A redshirt sophomore, Harrell made his first start for the Tar Heels in the final game of the 2023 season, finishing with 270 yards and a touchdown. All eyes will be on Johnson and Harrell this weekend at Kenan Stadium.
Will Grayson Loftis or Maalik Murphy replace Riley Leonard as Duke’s quarterback?
It’s a battle of the sophomores under center for the Blue Devils. Texas transfer Maalik Murphy, along with returners Grayson Loftis and Henry Belin IV are fighting for the right to be Duke’s starting quarterback in Diaz’s first season with the program.
A 6-foot-5, 238-pound quarterback, Murphy didn’t play much for the Longhorns. In seven games, the former four-star recruit completed 56.3% of his passes for 477 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions. Still, Murphy's arm strength and athleticism are reasons to be excited about his potential in Durham.
Following Riley Leonard’s injury in the 2023 season, Grayson Loftis and Henry Belin IV each saw some time at QB. In six games, Loftis finished with 1,008 passing yards, eight touchdowns and four interceptions. Belin appeared in four games, logging 232 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. It seems likely that Murphy or Loftis will get eventually get the starting nod.
Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Quarterback battles in spotlight for UNC, Duke football spring games
