Welter: Howell had more talent, but Maye could end up with more wins

By Pat Welter

So this Drake Maye kid is pretty good, like historic pace good. Maye has ten total touchdowns through two games. The nine passing touchdowns are the most by any ACC player through two games since 2000.  The only ACC player with more touchdowns responsible for through two games is Louisville's Lamar Jackson in 2016 and uhhh he won the Heisman Trophy.

I remember tweeting out stories about Maye's next level competitiveness after he was named the starter. Offensive coordinator Phil Longo talked about him refusing to lose at the ping pong table. Linebacker Cedric Gray said Maye was relentless in off season conditioning drills. I wrote tongue in cheek "the legend of QB1 grows." The tongue isn't in cheek anymore, now the jaw is dropped.

Sam Howell was at Saturday's 63-61 shootout win versus Appalachian State. He was watching the game, but maybe he should be watching his back, Maye is just a mere 101 touchdowns shy of tying Howell's UNC record for most touchdowns responsible for. Lost in the seventeen total touchdowns scored in the UNC/App State game was Maye's rushing score to start the third where he ran directly to and celebrated with Howell.

"I told him after I got in I should have gotten on one knee and held the ball up to him," Maye laughed after the game. "What he did here is pretty incredible."

"It was good timing," Howell said to me on the sidelines during the game. "It was a cool moment between us, good friends. It was awesome."

It was Howell's first game back to watch UNC in person since being drafted in the 5th round by the Washington Commanders. (A complete steal if you ask me, see my draft thoughts from a few months ago below). Howell didn't just watch the game.  He paced, he cheered, he even was in on the conversations between Longo and Maye on the bench.

"I just told him keep doing what he's doing," Howell said. "He's doing a really good job. He's taking what the defense is giving him.  So he needs to just keep doing what he's doing."

Maye doesn't have Howell's arm, but he does share his toughness and somewhat surprising ability to run.

"I took that same mentality third down running the ball," Maye said. "Not sliding and doing what you can for the team. [Howell] built that in me, so I'm going to take after him."

Mack Brown would prefer Maye slide in most situations and he said the same thing about Howell, but he hasn't held back the praise for his emerging redshirt freshman QB.

"He's smart, he's savvy, he can run better than people knew," UNC head coach Mack Brown said Monday. "He is very accurate. He missed a few the other day, but he doesn't miss many throws."

Maye might be chasing Howell in the UNC record books, but Brown believes Maye resembles one of his former Texas QBs, Colt McCoy. Like Maye following Howell, McCoy followed the more dynamic Vince Young.  Young won the national championship, but McCoy had the more prolific college career.  McCoy's 45 college victories are the most in NCAA history.  Given Maye's start and the depth of talent Brown has been compiling, Maye could finish with a much better record than Howell.   

"When you've got a great quarterback you've got a chance," Brown said after the App State game. "Drake is a great quarterback that will only get better."

I have no doubt that Howell would be excelling in this offense had he come back to school, but part of me believes Howell's talent worked against him. In 2021 Howell didn't have the depth of weapons this UNC team has. He was big play or bust. If I had Howell's arm and creative running ability I'd fall in love with the big play too.  Maye doesn't have the same physical gifts, but his accuracy and release are elite. His decision making is quick and he seems to be consistently making the right read in Longo's offense. Saturday versus App State seven different Tar Heels scored and eight different players recorded at least one reception.

"He graded out very high with regards to decision making," Longo said Monday. "Pulled the ball when he needed to pull it, gave it when he needed to give it. He was really good on protection so for a guy that's only been starting for two weeks it tells me he's preparing the right way."

Of course all this praise and Maye and the 2022 Tar Heels haven't even played a power five opponent. They visit Georgia State this weekend and then get a real test September 24th when they host Notre Dame.

"I think every game a little more confidence is instilled," Maye said after the App State game. "I've got to watch the film, I've probably got a lot of stuff to work on."

Saturday versus App State was just Carolina's second one score victory since Brown's return to Chapel Hill.  It was their first road win since December 12, 2020 at Miami.  I don't think that's coincidence.  Maye is a winner. Howell helped make UNC nationally relevant again, Maye is poised to take them to the next level in his college career. Saturday when Howell embraced Maye in the endzone, he officially passed the torch.