How UNC QB Sam Howell plans to redistribute wealth on offense without his top targets
The pressure is all on quarterback Sam Howell when No. 14 North Carolina takes on No. 5 Texas A&M in the Orange Bowl.
The attention grew when the Tar Heels’ leading receiver, Dyami Brown, and their pair of 1,000-yard rushers Michael Carter and Javonte Williams, each declared that they were ending their college careers to begin preparation for the NFL draft.
Howell shrugs his shoulders at the notion.
“For me, it’s nothing different,” Howell said. “I’m going to prepare how I’m going to prepare and then just execute the play called. I’m not going to try to do anything more than I usually do.”
Let’s not be confused, Howell has the ability to do it all. For all of the focus on the offensive weapons the Heels lost when the three players opted out, they still maintain their top one. Just check back to the win over Wake Forest in which he passed for 550 yards and six touchdowns in leading a 21-point comeback for confirmation.
Howell had a season-high 45 pass attempts in the win over the Deacons. It’s his only win in four games when he’s thrown more than 40 passes. All three losses came last season against Appalachian State (41), in six overtimes against Virginia Tech (49) and Pitt (43) which was also in overtime.
Thing is, UNC offensive coordinator Phil Longo doesn’t want Howell to be in that spot. Longo said the only advice he gave Howell was not to feel like, “he has to go and win this game himself.”
“The best thing he can do for our football team right now is to keep doing what he has been doing — manage the offense, make plays when he has the opportunity to make plays,” Longo said. “ ... The only time he’s ever gotten in trouble at all, and it’s been very few, is when he’s tried to do more than he really needs to do on a play.”
Howell should find some comfort with his receivers. Carolina won’t be affected as much at receiver, although Dyami Brown led the team in catches, and is the first player in program history with consecutive seasons of 1,000 yards receiving.
Redshirt freshman Khafre Brown has caught two of the Heels’ four longest passe plays this season with his 76-yard touchdown against Virginia and a 65-yarder against Wake Forest. Senior Dazz Newsome hauled in a 75-yard pass also against the Deacons.
Newsome is a bit of a forgotten player in that he led the team with 72 receptions and 1,108 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. His numbers weren’t quite as gaudy this season (45 catches, 616 yards, five touchdowns), but he’s relishing one last opportunity to produce on a big stage.
“I know what I can do and they ... also the other team knows what I can do,” Newsome said. “There’s no pressure. We’ve got good players on the team still. We’ve got players just as good as Dyami.”
The running game will be the bigger unknown for the Heels. Longo said the loss of Carter and Williams means about 30 carries have to be re-distributed into the play calling. That could either mean extra carries for running backs Josh Henderson and British Brooks or Howell passing the ball more. It should add some mystery to Carolina’s offense because the Aggies can’t really anticipate where the ball is going based on personnel alone.
“It’s a good thing he has more people to distribute the ball to,” Longo said. “When Dyami is out there and you have a one-on-one, you kind of know where you’re going. Now he’s going to have to settle in and pick the one that is in the best one-on-one scenario and trigger the football, whether it be on a screen or underneath or downtown. His job doesn’t change. It’s just the cast that he’s playing with will be a little bit different.”