4 things to watch as the UNC Tar Heels begin fall football practice Thursday
For North Carolina coach Mack Brown, the true tell that he’s turning the corner in the third year of his second stint in Chapel Hill doesn’t come from the likely top-15 preseason ranking or having his quarterback in Heisman Trophy discussions.
He knows the Tar Heels might be onto something because of the negative recruiting he’s been hearing about. Schools are deliberately berating Carolina to other recruits, Brown said. He can’t even be mad.
“People are being really critical and are cutting us in recruiting, I’m so proud of that,” Brown told reporters at the ACC Kickoff in Charlotte last month. “That didn’t happen the first year. Nobody cared. So now that we’re getting a little better, I’m so excited people are critical of us. That’s a good thing.”
What’s better for Brown is as the Tar Heels began their fall camp Thursday, he returned all of his starters from the Orange Bowl with the exception of one including quarterback Sam Howell.
The junior from Indian Trail is tied for the lead in career touchdown passes in program history after just two seasons. Howell’s a big reason for the excitement surrounded the Heels this season.
Here are four topics to keep up on as Carolina looks to take the next step after last season’s Orange Bowl appearance:
WHO’S NO. 2?
Brown has repeatedly referred to the 2021 season as the third and final year for quarterback Sam Howell before he goes to the NFL. With that being known, Brown is looking to see who is Howell’s backup this season and, eventually, his successor under center.
Neither sophomore Jacolby Criswell nor freshman Drake Maye established themselves as the leading contender in the spring. They’ll be locked into what may be the most interesting position battle during fall camp. Criswell may have a slight advantage having been through a full season. But Maye, an early enrollee from the class of 2021, has the Carolina pedigree. His father, Mark Maye, was a three-year letterman and a team captain in 1987.
The battle might not be over after fall camp. Brown has indicated a desire to sit Howell in games that turn into blowouts in order to get the backups some game experience.
EARLY IMPACT
Maye is one of 12 UNC freshmen who enrolled in January in order to participate in spring practice and get a head start on their first season. Brown said it was like having a redshirt season for that dozen because they were able to pick up the scheme and acclimate themselves to the Heels’ strength-and-conditioning regimen.
It could also end up leading to some serious playing time for several of those players, primarily on the defensive side. Linebackers Power Echols and RaRa Dillworth made big impressions in the spring. Defensive linemen Jahvaree Ritzie and Keeshawn Silver look to improve on the momentum they built in the spring and work into the lineup.
Running back Caleb Hood was the only freshman in the rotation during the spring and will be competing to try and earn a spot behind Ty Chandler as UNC’s top reserve. The Heels are hoping to split carries primarily among two backs as they did with Javonte Williams and Michael Carter last season.
WHO’S CARRYING THE BALL?
UNC would prefer if Howell doesn’t have to throw the ball more than 30 attempts per game to win. Last season, in the four games he had more than 30 attempts, the Heels won two (Syracuse, Wake Forest) and lost two (Florida State, Texas A&M.)
Running back is the biggest unknown for the Tar Heels after Carter and Williams each posted 1,000-yard rushing seasons last year before going to the NFL. It’s why Brown sought out a transfer to bring some experience to the group.
Ty Chandler, a graduate transfer from Tennessee, amassed 3,245 career all-purpose yards which ranked him fifth in the Volunteers’ record book for that category.
Sophomore D.J. Jones was injured before the Heels played Texas A&M in the Orange Bowl, or it may have been him getting the majority of snaps in that game in the wake of Carter and Williams opting out.
Josh Henderson, Elijah Green, British Brooks and Hood are among the backs all vying for playing time with the position wide open.
HANDLING EXPECTATIONS
Arguably the most important aspect of camp will be the hardest to gauge. But with all the preseason accolades that have been coming the Tar Heels’ way, it could be enough to make the players think they have arrived, when in actuality they haven’t won anything yet.
Brown likes to cite the example from last season’s loss to a struggling Florida State team. UNC was ranked No. 5 at the time and started the game without the focus and intensity it needed. The Heels fell behind early and never recovered.
“We’ve gotten hype, we’ve been hugged, we’ve had sugar thrown all over us,” Brown said at ACC Kickoff. “We’re all enjoying it, but let’s clean it off, and let’s get back to facts. We were fifth in the country when we went to Florida State and about 25th when we left. That took about three hours to drop that far.”
Brown said the Heels have been “circled” by every team in the ACC. Will Carolina be ready to match every opponent’s best effort? Brown will find out by the end of fall camp.
This story was originally published August 5, 2021 at 6:00 AM.