North Carolina updates playing status of quarterback Sam Howell

The North Carolina Tar Heels will be without starting quarterback Sam Howell on Saturday against Wofford, per C.L. Brown of the News and Observer.

In North Carolina’s 30-23 overtime loss at Pittsburgh, Howell suffered an upper body injury. He had his left arm in a sling after the game. Earlier in the week, Tar Heels head coach Mack Brown said that he expects Howell to be healthy for the game against NC State next week, but that he would be a game time decision against Wofford.

In Howell’s absence, sophomore Jacolby Criswell and freshman Drake Maye will split time at quarterback, according to Luke DeCock of the News and Observer.

Howell will take part in North Carolina’s Senior Day festivities despite not playing in the game. His absence means that his likely final game at home in his collegiate career will be North Carolina’s win over Wake Forest two weeks ago.

Howell’s absence will give North Carolina a glimpse into the future

The expectation is that Howell will leave North Carolina after the season to enter the 2022 NFL Draft. While his stock isn’t as high as it was entering the year, Howell could take advantage of a weaker quarterback class.

Earlier in the week, Brown reiterated that he personally expects Howell to leave North Carolina to become a first round NFL Draft pick after the season.

“He’s a first-round draft choice so I personally think he’s leaving, but it’s wrong of me to speak for him,” Brown said via DeCock.

Howell has thrown for 2,704 yards, 22 touchdowns and eight interceptions this season. He also has 152 rushing attempts for 717 yards and nine touchdowns. Howell isn’t a set in stone top ten pick as many believed he was at one point, but he has still shown off his tremendous potential in a down season for the Tar Heels.

Criswell is the only other quarterback to attempt a pass this season for North Carolina. He has completed both of his two passes for 54 yards and a touchdown. Drake Maye, the brother of former Tar Heels basketball star Luke Maye, is one of the highest rated recruits that Mack Brown has signed since coming to Chapel Hill. Maye was once committed to Alabama before Brown came in and flipped him back to the Tar Heels.

“The offensive staff will pick out the plays they think each one would do the best and then they’ll do it. I haven’t decided yet if Sam doesn’t play how we’re going to rotate the quarterbacks,” Brown said earlier in the week via DeCock. “I wanted to watch practice all week and see who’s more comfortable, who’s having the best week’s practice, before deciding who started and if and how we’ll rotate them. The most important thing is to win the game, that’s what’s important, and then you would love to get both of them some time because they’re our future.”

Saturday’s game against Wofford kicks off at 12 noon ET.