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CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina will have someone other than Sam Howell behind center when the Tar Heels open the 2022 football season at home versus Florida A&M on August 27.

Howell is off to the NFL after three record-breaking seasons at UNC, and in his place is anybody’s guess at this time. And the process in making that determination gets kicked up a few gears next Tuesday when Carolina begins spring football practice.

Drake Maye and Jacolby Criswell are the primary contenders for the job, though UNC Coach Mack Brown said this past Tuesday sophomore Jefferson Boaz and true freshman Conner Harrell will both get looks as well.

It is the most important position in football, and at North Carolina, it’s one that comes with tremendous expectations coming on the heels of Howell’s historic career.

In just three seasons, Howell left UNC as its all-time leader in passing yards (10,283), passing touchdowns (92), total offense (11,292 yards), and total touchdowns accounted for (109), among many other records. So, whoever is next, they will have a high standard to continue.

There is a precedent for this staff in how to best go about deciding who will take the first offensive snap versus the Rattlers.

“We will handle the quarterbacks like we did the first year with the three quarterbacks when we were first here,” Brown said in a press conference advancing the start of spring practice. “They will all have their opportunities. We will probably not make a decision who will start until fall because we will want to have pre-season camp. But they could separate, but we will be doing some things different offensively, so they are going to have to learn.”

Criswell has the advantage of being in his third year in the program. However, he is a redshirt freshman because he got the 2020 season back due to the NCAA not counting that year against any athletes’ eligibility, and Criswell played in just four games this past fall, so that counts as his redshirt year.

At 6-foot and 232 pounds, Criswell has seen action in seven games at UNC. He is 16-for-25 passing with 179 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. He has run the ball 16 times for 94 yards and a score.

Maye, who played in four games in his first season as a Tar Heel last fall and maintained his red shirt, was 7-for-10 passing with 89 yards and a touchdown. Most of his snaps came versus FCS member Wofford the week before Thanksgiving. Maye also ran the ball six times for 62 yards. May is 6-foot-5 and weighs 216 pounds.

Both were highly toured coming out of high school, though Maye was one of the top quarterbacks in the nation for the class of 2021. His father, Mark, was UNC’s quarterback in 1986, and his brother, Luke, was an All-ACC basketball player and member of the 2017 national champions.

The UNC staff not only has to make a decision on who will start, but also put the players in as many challenging situations as possible to best evaluate the players while also getting them ready for next season.

“Number one, be really hard on them and put them in difficult situations,” Brown said. “I don’t want the Florida A&M game to be the first time our quarterbacks feel pressure. So, we talked to Coach Chizik and Coach Longo about putting them in game situations throughout the spring.

“With Sam Howell, he did a great job his first year. So, these two young guys that we’ve got that will be out there first in Jacolby and Drake. They’ve been here. One has been here two years and one has been here one year. They been here long enough, so now we need to put pressure on them.”

Boaz was a decorated passer in high school and one of the top overall athletes in the state. At 6-foot-6 and 250 pounds, he has the physical atteibutws to play multiple positions, but as of now remains at quarterback.

Harrell was recently named the High School Football of America National Player of the Year after leading Thompson High School to consecutive 7A state championships in Alabama, and was also the Valedictorian of his high school class.

“And obviously Jefferson Boaz will get some shots and Conner Harrell, who was just named High School Football American Player of the Year,” Brown said. “Which is an unbelievable feat, he is the Valedictorian of his high school, two-time Alabama Player of the Year, two-time state champion, so there’s a lot of great things that Conner brings to us and will be fun to watch him this spring as well.”

Brown said a decision on who will start likely won't be made until the fall. So as intense as the competition may be this spring, it probably won't be the end of the competition.

Carolina opens spring practice March 1, and will holds its annual spring game April 9 at Kenan Stadium.