Short-handed and stumbling into Mayo Bowl, UNC turns to Harrell at QB

By Pat Welter, WRAL sports reporter

Chapel Hill, N.C. — Your mileage on mayonnaise may vary. It really depends on what it's paired with.

"I love Duke's mayonnaise," North Carolina wide receiver JJ Jones said.

UNC's season was sandwiched between the season-opening Duke's Mayo Classic versus South Carolina to the Duke's Mayo Bowl versus West Virginia on Dec. 27. Both games are held in Charlotte's Bank of America Stadium. "I would love to see coach (Mack) Brown get to take a mayo bath," Jones added, in reference to the postgame "reward" the winning coach receives at the bowl game.

But the Tar Heels are still trying to get rid of the taste of a 39-20 loss at NC State to end the regular season. "We tried to forget about that game the next day," said Jones.

In 2021, UNC essentially didn't show up to the Duke's Mayo Bowl in a 38-21 loss to the Gamecocks. "It just seemed like we didn't want to be there," Jones remembered.

But Jones insists the Heels are motivated this time around. "I told everybody on this team this year, if you do not want to play that game, do not come out," he said.

UNC will be missing two of their essential ingredients for the bowl game: quarterback Drake Maye and linebacker Cedric Gray both declared for the NFL Draft.

Redshirt freshman Conner Harrell will take Maye's place behind center. "I'm blessed to have the opportunity, blessed to be in this position," said Harrell, who has completed four of six passes for 71 yards and a touchdown in parts of three games of backup duty this season.

"I feel like I can do everything," Harrell said. "I'm athletic. I can throw. I can make every throw on the field. I can throw it deep. West Virginia doesn't have much film (on me). They're going to have a tough time not really knowing."

It's a new job but the same routine for Harrell. He said every morning, he wakes up, makes his bed, plays some brain games and eats the same breakfast: a toasted bagel, eggs, oatmeal and fruit.

But no mayo.