CHAPEL HILL, NC – With the potential departure of North Carolina's stellar quarterback Drake Maye looming on the horizon, the Tar Heels have been on the lookout for the heir apparent who could fill those imposing cleats.
Saturday's showdown against Campbell might have provided a glimpse into that future with backup quarterback Conner Harrell stepping into the spotlight, and undeniably, shining.
In Carolina’s dominant 59-7 win Saturday afternoon against the Camels, Harrell got the opportunity to show fans and the staff what he can do in a game situation.
“I’m really proud of Conner that he got to play in a regular offensive setting,” said UNC Coach Mack Brown. “Where he could make some plays and do some things.”
Harrell played eleven snaps against Campbell, going a perfect 4-for-4 passing with 71 yards and a touchdown. Harrell showed off his speed breaking out a 61-yard run, outrunning the defensive secondary in the process showing off an area, where according to Brown, Harrell has a clear advantage over the current starter.
“Drake is a more consistent thrower, and Conner is a lot faster," said Brown. “I don’t want to hurt Drake’s feelings, but he doesn’t want to race Conner.”
This was Harrell’s first real consistent game action in a UNC uniform. Harrell played seven snaps against Syracuse earlier in the season, in that game, he ran the ball twice losing yards both times, and threw the ball two times in the Tar Heels last possession. He played one snap versus Pittsburgh after Maye had to leave the game for a play when his helmet came off.
Coming in the middle of the third quarter appeared to allow Harrell time to shake out the jitters and get into a rhythm.
“I thought he was uptight,” Brown said. “He missed a read the first time he went out there. I told (offensive coordinator) Chip (Lindsey) we have got to play him like we are playing him in a game, he’s one play away from coming in. We have got to keep him out there and we have to call the plays we would call when he is in the game, and run the offense.”
With a starting quarterback as talented as Maye, it's hard to take him off the field, but Brown knows from experience that not getting your possible future starter reps in live-action only causes bigger question marks at the position going into the next season.
“Sometimes, I’ve not done that in the past and it hasn’t been smart, " Brown said. “My job is to get the next guy ready to play and that’s what we said today. He made a great read on the zone read and he’s real fast, everybody saw that, we’ve seen that.”
Harrell’s teammates have taken note of Harrell's dedication and the dividends it’s paying on the field. Tight end Bryson Nesbit, who caught a pass for five yards from Harrell, was happy to see the work Harrell puts in everyday finally got an opportunity to translate to the field on Saturday.
“Obviously, I’m super excited for him," said Nesbit. "He’s put in a lot of work, a lot of reps. The play was a simple read. The d-end triggered on the running back and he just made a play with his legs and took it all the way.”
Harrell showed off more than his ability to make plays with his legs, he also made accurate throws, and Brown believes the success Harrell had Saturday will give the young player confidence that he can play on this stage,
“He made a tremendous throw to Chris Culliver," Brown continued, noting a 41-yard touchdown pass. "And Chris caught it over the outside shoulder, so it was a tremendous play. So, that should give Conner the confidence because he hadn’t been out there in that setting. And there is no better setting to gain confidence than in a game like that. One where you're gonna win, but you need to go out there and play, and now you know that you can.”
As Harrell continues to refine his craft, Coach Brown highlights the need for the offense to adapt to his unique skills.
“We’ve seen two really good weeks of practice," Brown said. "He’s different than Drake, so what we have to do is continue to work to find what is his offense, and then you have to be able to work his offense with the blue offensive linemen and it's a different set of plays so that’s what we keep working on we get him ready if and when we need him in a game.”
In the theater of college football, where every game is an act and every season a narrative, Harrell took center stage, if only for a moment, and performed as if it was where he was always meant to be. As the Tar Heels prepare for their future, it seems Harrell has written himself into the script—not just as an understudy, but as a rising star waiting for his curtain call.
