18d ago football Edit

Jacolby Criswell Transferring Back to Carolina

Andrew Jones • TarHeelIllustrated

Publisher

Andrew Jones has covered sports for 26 years, including all major college & professional sports for daily newspapers & national sites. He's done radio and TV & is entering his seventh year at THI.

{{ link.display_text }} |

Jacolby Criswell is headed back to North Carolina, multiple sources have confirmed to THI.

Criswell, who spent three seasons at UNC before transferring last spring to Arkansas, is returning with two years of eligibility remaining.

He appeared in 14 games over three seasons with the Tar Heels, completing 18 of 31 pass attempts for 204 yards, a touchdown and interception. Last season, as a backup with the Razorbacks, Criswell was 17-for-27 with 143 yards and three touchdowns.

In four seasons, he has been credited with 43 rushing attempts for 177 yards and a touchdown.

A native or Morrilton, AR, Criswell was a 4-star prospect in the class of 2020. He has two years remaining because he gets the Covid year back, 2021 qualifies as a redshirt since he appeared in only four games, and then the last two seasons count athletically as his freshman and sophomore campaigns.

UNC brought Criswell back because it had just three scholarship quarterbacks after Tad Hudson entered the portal two weeks ago. Hudson committed to Coastal Carolina on Monday.

“You've got to have four quarterbacks, number one,” UNC Coach Mack Brown said last week during his post-spring practice press conference. “So, we need another one. And then you've got to see who's available.

“You've got two that are competing for a starting job. It gets confusing if somebody wants to come in and be the starter. Do you want a young one (transfer) that's going to have a chance to grow and start? Usually, if a guy is leaving, it's because he's not starting. So, it's not an easy task to find somebody.”

Criswell is entering a situation in which Conner Harrell and Max Johnson are competing for the starting job. Criswell and Harrell overlapped for a year in Chapel Hill when Criswell battled Drake Maye for the starting job two years ago. Harrell was in his first year at the time.

Now, Criswell will arrive as a backup to Harrell and Johnson, and theoretically to fill a third or fourth-team reserve spot.

More on this story once UNC sends out a press release.