In the days leading up to North Carolina’s football season opener at Minnesota, there were still question marks on who would man the quarterback position when the Tar Heels took their first offensive snap.
Yet, UNC football coach Mack Brown offered some clarification on what to expect — graduate transfer Max Johnson and sophomore Conner Harrell could both see the field in week one and possibly throughout the season.
“Depending on how the game goes, we would like to play two quarterbacks, and we’d like to do it for the season,” Brown said.
Said Brown, “They’re both good enough to win, but we’ve got to figure out what during the game works best to win the game.”
For now, the Tar Heels operating with two quarterbacks in 2024 is still just a possibility. But, if that ends up being the game plan, how well will a dual-quarterback system work?
For reference, UNC can look at some of its own previous seasons.
In 2013, the Tar Heels found themselves in a two-quarterback situation after starting the season 1-4 with senior Bryn Renner in the backfield. Following a 55-31 loss to East Carolina, sophomore Marquise Williams started against Virginia Tech while Renner was out with an ankle injury. Although UNC lost, 27-17, Williams showed some good things in his 23-for-35, 277-yard, two-touchdown and two-interception passing performance, leading to former coach Larry Fedora incorporating him more into the offense.
By the next week, both quarterbacks split time on the field by alternating snaps depending on the game situation. After a close loss to Miami, UNC beat Boston College and NC State with both quarterbacks at the helm, but a shoulder injury against the Wolfpack sidelined Renner for the rest of the season. Williams finished the year as the primary starter and led the Tar Heels to a 7-6 overall record and a bowl win.
UNC tried two quarterbacks in 2006, too, with junior Joe Dailey sharing time with freshman Cam Sexton. That season, the Tar Heels had one of the worst offenses in the ACC, placing 10th in total offense per game and averaging just 179.7 passing yards per contest. Paired with the worst run defense in the conference, the two-quarterback system didn’t make much of an impact on winning as UNC went 3-9 that season.
Even further back in 2001, the Tar Heels had both Darian Durant and Ronald Curry leading the offense in a winning season. Despite starting the season 0-3, UNC won eight of its last 10 games, losing to Georgia Tech and Wake Forest in the absence of Curry and winning the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl over Auburn on New Year’s Eve.
The Tar Heels didn’t have the most explosive offense that year (sixth in the ACC in total offense per game), but they were one of the better passing teams in the ACC, finishing with a fourth-best 239.3 passing yards per game. Having one of the best defenses in the conference led by Julius Peppers had a huge impact on the team’s success, too.
However, in Brown’s second stint, UNC has been known for its dynamic and explosive offenses highlighted by 3,500-yard passing seasons from Sam Howell and Drake Maye, who were both able to lead the offenses themselves.
Although running a two-quarterback system may keep both Johnson and Harrell ready for game days, they might not be able to grow into the offense and establish a rhythm like their predecessors did, which also may not bode well for a team with an inexperienced offensive line.
Brown said there’s only one offensive lineman on the team that has ever started a game, which also brings questions of just how effective the run game can be and which quarterback can best handle pressure.
With Harrell having no experience as a starter, those questions may give Johnson an edge when determining who trots out first. Yet, if Johnson doesn’t work out, how much better can Harrell be?
Harrell and Johnson both expressed that they can bring similar assets to the Tar Heels’ offense at ACC Kickoff in July, detailing their abilities to make accurate throws and use their legs to make dynamic plays.
Johnson said he feels he doesn’t get as much credit for his ability to run as he’s thrown for 5,852 yards and only rushed for 168 yards in four years at Texas A&M and LSU.
But Harrell, who has shown his ability to scramble, must’ve also shown some good things in the passing game since he’s in the running to be the starter.
Given what UNC has in both quarterbacks, there will be some tough decisions to make on how to use them.
