AJ: Sensational Sam Takes It To Another Level

CHAPEL HILL – Yeah, that Sam Howell kid is pretty good.

Unflappable. Clutch. Pin-point excellence. Professional. Sensational

Sensational Sam!

And he can run, too. Well, he did in a key part of Saturday’s game channeling his inner Marquise Williams in leading the Tar Heels to a 59-53 victory over Wake Forest at Kenan Stadium, a game that appeared to have gotten away from the Tar Heels at one point.

But it didn’t because UNC’s defense rose up for a stretch and Howell kept doing his record-setting thing.

All the sophomore did was complete 32 of 45 pass attempts for 550 yards and six touchdowns. Several of his misses were throwaways and his interception should have been ruled a catch by Dyami Brown, which would have tacked on another 35 or so yards to Howell’s impressive total for the afternoon.

And those legs?

He scrambled for a first down on third-and-seven midway through the fourth quarter and ran 20 yards into the end zone for a touchdown several snaps later giving Carolina the lead for good. Six TD passes and a game-winning, 20-yard TD run. The scoring run came on a third-and-10.

How’s that for an afternoon?

"I would think he's as proud as he's ever been of a comeback,” UNC Coach Mack Brown said afterward, when asked how Howell’s performance can shape his legacy at Carolina. “He will not care about his numbers; he will not care about the touchdowns. When we run the ball and he throws it 22 times, his personality never changes, as long as we're winning. That's all he wants.”

Howell’s previous two high passing games on the season were in UNC’s losses – 374 at Florida State and 443 at Virginia. He nearly completed 21-point comebacks in both of those games, too,

But he was just better on this day in every way. And he turned in a career effort when every snap and every throw mattered. The way UNC’ defense was playing – it allowed 606 yards – there was very little room for error on offense.

In basketball, hot players that scorch the nets often say afterward they were just feeling it. Howell, always looking to spread the love to his teammates no matter how responsible he is for their success, acknowledged he was feeling it. But only a little.

"I think you could say that,” said Howell, who has passed for 2,631 yards and 23 touchdowns this season. “I think, just as an offense as a whole, we kind of just got into a rhythm. Everyone's just making plays. The o-line was holding up up front and we were making some really big plays.

"So, I just think as a whole on offense we were just feeling it for most of the game. We had a slow start there in the third quarter, but other than that, as an offense we were feeling it the whole game."

Regarding the legacy talk after the game, as Brown was asked several questions about it, Howell’s performance Saturday was the kind of thing that gets jerseys retired.

UNC hasn’t ever been considered QBU, but it’s had plenty of quality quarterbacks who’ve posted impressive numbers in the 2000s going back to Darian Durant. T.J. Yates had a nice career and played in the NFL. Bryn Renner, Williams and Mitch Trubisky. None of them, not even pre-21st Centrury studs Chris Keldorf, Jason Stanicek, Mark Maye or Danny Talbott ever had a day like this.

Some came close, but Howell stands alone, and in time could have a place in Carolina lore unmatched by any other QB in school history. He’s certainly on his way through 21 games. But that’s not important to him right now.

Howell wants to set records because it helps the team win games. That's where his mind is when he’s on the field. His place in Tar Heel history is nowhere on the radar. He’s about being a teammate and winning.

“He never ever second guesses a call from coach (Phil) Longo, he never shows frustration on the field, which he could some, and I think that's really helped our team grow up,” Brown said. “And none of them have a loud personality, especially on offense. They just all kind of do what Sam does, so you never know if they're ready to play or not.

“But, I think Sam would tell you ‘I want everything about me to be winning and that's all I want, I don't care about anything else.’ He's never mentioned national awards, he's never mentioned us pushing him more. He's only been about winning."

And as long as he keeps doing what he has, those honors will be there. And maybe then Howell will allow himself to make it personal. He’d certainly be justified in doing so.

He’s just that good.