Sam Howell decision will come ‘when we walk out there,’ UNC coach Mack Brown says
All eyes will be on Sam Howell when he takes the field for warmups ahead of Saturday’s game against Wofford, and that includes North Carolina coach Mack Brown.
Brown said Wednesday that he may not know whether the quarterback will play until the Tar Heels take the field. Sophomore Jacolby Criswell and freshman Drake Maye will split time at quarterback if Howell can’t play, and there’s no pressure to rush him back against a 1-9 FCS opponent.
“I think it will come down to Saturday afternoon when we walk out there at noon or 11 o’clock to see,” Brown said. “Drake and Jacolby have an awareness they may be starting their first game and will be out there.”
Howell suffered what the team calls an upper-body injury during last Thursday’s 30-23 overtime loss at Pittsburgh, and had his non-throwing arm in a sling afterward. Brown said Monday that Howell is expected to be 100% for next Friday’s rivalry game at N.C. State, but Howell remains a game-time decision for Wofford.
The junior plans to go through North Carolina’s Senior Day festivities on Saturday. whether he plays or not in what is almost certainly his final game in Kenan Stadium. Brown said Monday that Howell was headed to the NFL, but Howell on Tuesday left the door open to a potential return.
Brown reiterated Wednesday that he’s not planning on having Howell back next year: “He’s a first-round draft choice so I personally think he’s leaving, but it’s wrong of me to speak for him.”
That’s one reason why Howell taking the afternoon off might not be the worst thing for the Tar Heels in the big picture. Criswell and Maye are expected to compete for next fall’s quarterback job in the spring, and Saturday could end up being a joint audition for both of them.
“We would run the offense for each one of them we feel like they’ll be running in the future,” Brown said. “The offensive staff will pick out the plays they think each one would do the best and then they’ll do it. I haven’t decided yet if Sam doesn’t play how we’re going to rotate the quarterbacks.
“I wanted to watch practice all week and see who’s more comfortable, who’s having the best week’s practice, before deciding who started and if and how we’ll rotate them. The most important thing is to win the game, that’s what’s important, and then you would love to get both of them some time because they’re our future.”
Howell will go through Senior Day festivities despite having eligibility left, and Brown said Wednesday that receiver Beau Corrales, who played in only five games last season and none this season, asked Monday to join that group as well. Corrales played four seasons at North Carolina before undergoing three surgeries for a sports hernia, but has returned to practice and could play against Wofford.
Corrales could play in the final three games, call this his redshirt season and appeal for another season of eligibility, but Brown said he wanted to go through Senior Day “just in case.” Corrales had 40 catches and six touchdowns two seasons ago.
“We never talk about losing Beau, and Beau was a really important factor in our receiving corps,” Brown said. “I think he will be well. I hope it’s this weekend. I wouldn’t think he would play a whole lot because he hasn’t played in so long.”
This story was originally published November 17, 2021 at 10:59 AM with the headline "Sam Howell decision will come ‘when we walk out there,’ UNC coach Mack Brown says."
