Tag: Max Johnson

UNC football players chosen for East-West Shrine Bowl watchlist

The UNC football team will be well-represented in January 2025’s East-West Shrine Bowl.

After months of anticipation build for the start of college football, the next season is over just like that.

Teams exceed their preseason rankings and end up playing for a championship, favorites fail to live up to the hype and new stars are born. Bowl season follows a regular-season full of surprises – in 2024, there’s more anticipation due to the expanded, 12-team College Football Playoff.

With the departure of Drake Maye, Devontez Walker and Cedric Gray to the NFL, many North Carolina Tar Heel fans are wondering how the football season will pan out in Chapel Hill. There’s plenty of new – and returning – talent on both sides of the ball, highlighted by running back Omarion Hampton and linebacker Kaimon Rucker.

After UNC’s season ends, hopefully in a rare bowl victory, the East-West Shrine Bowl gives future NFL Draft hopefuls one last shot at collegiate gameplay – this time in front of NFL Executives. Recent stars from the Shrine Bowl include 2-time Super Bowl champion Isiah Pacheco and speedy wideout Zay Flowers.

Just over six months away from the 2025 Shrine Bowl, which will be played January 30 next year at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, 12 North Carolina football players were named to the Shrine Bowl 1000.

Desmond Evans, the Class of 2020’s second-ranked player overall, recorded 33 total tackles (18 solo), five tackles for loss and three sacks in 12 games played last year. Bryson Nesbit, expected to be a top tight end taken in the 2025 NFL Draft, led UNC tight ends with 585 receiving yards and five touchdowns in 2023.

Rucker will lead the defense this coming season. He returns 61 tackles (34 solo), a team-high 15 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks from 2023. Power Echols, expected to be another defensive standout, returns 102 tackles (60 solo) and 5.5 tackles for loss.

Nate McCollum, expected to step into a larger starting role this year, caught 44 passes for 469 yards and a touchdown in 2023. Kevin Hester Jr., a starting defensive tackle, brings 30 tackles (12 solo) into the 2024 campaign.

J.J. Jones will likely be the Tar Heels’ top wideout. He led North Carolina with 711 receiving yards last season, plus he added three touchdown. Alijah Huzzie, who transferred in from East Tennessee State before 2023, led UNC with three interceptions last year.

Willie Lampkin is arguably the Tar Heels’ top offensive lineman, as he was named 2023 Third Team All-ACC and started all 11 games he appeared in last year. Antavious “Stick” Lane transferred into Chapel Hill ahead of the 2023 season, recording 62 tackles (33 solo) and three for loss, while NC State transfer Jakeen Harris brings 80 total tackles, eight deflected passes and three interceptions with him from Raleigh.

Last but not least, Texas A&M transfer Max Johnson will be competing for North Carolina’s starting quarterback job with Conner Harrell. He carries a ton of experience and talent with him – 5,853 passing yards, 47 touchdowns, 22 starts and four years of SEC football.

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ACC Football Kickoff 2024 will be well-represented by conference quarterbacks

Max Johnson and Conner Harrell, who are battling for UNC’s starting quarterback job, will both be present at the ACC Football Kickoff on Thursday.

The anticipation for the start of college football season continues to build, especially in the ACC, with the ACC Football Kickoff running until Thursday afternoon.

ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips started off Monday responding to the Big 12 Commissioner, highlighting the ACC is a Top-3 conference. Georgia Tech, Florida State and conference newcomer SMU followed Phillips, then Tuesday included appearances from Pitt, Virginia Tech, California, Stanford and Virginia.

The ACC Football Kickoff continues Wednesday with Miami, Louisville, Boston College, Duke and Wake Forest, then concludes Thursday with NC State, Syracuse, Clemson and our North Carolina Tar Heels.

Head coaches from every program either already were – or will – be there. Several players are also planned to make appearances – some program veterans, plus a few new guys.

One position group that will be well-represented at the ACC Football Kickoff, however, is quarterbacks.

“A whopping total of 19 quarterbacks are set to be in attendance at the ACC Football Kickoff, with every team but Florida State and Wake Forest bringing at least one,” CBS Sports’ Chip Patterson wrote. “Cal, Duke and North Carolina are all bringing two quarterbacks, so any questions about those upcoming quarterback competitions can be answered directly.”

At UNC, the quarterback battle likely comes down to Texas A&M transfer Max Johnson and last year’s Duke’s Mayo Bowl starter Conner Harrell, who’s been in Chapel Hill for the past two seasons. Both Johnson and Harrell will be available at 1 p.m. Thursday, when North Carolina takes the stage.

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247Sports bold prediction for UNC football involves quarterback position

Will Jacolby Criswell be the surprise starter at quarterback for the UNC football program?

With the 2024 ACC Football Kickoff taking place in Charlotte, we are inching closer and closer to the start of the upcoming college football season. And for the North Carolina Tar Heels, they still have some things to sort out.

One of the biggest questions surrounding Mack Brown’s team in 2024 is the quarterback position. With Drake Maye off to the NFL, the Tar Heels have a battle brewing this offseason with transfer Max Johnson, Conner Harrell, and Jacolby Criswell.

UNC hasn’t hinted their plans just yet but one college football writer made his bold prediction for the Tar Heels and it involved that quarterback battle.

Brad Crawford of 247Sports wrote on 10 bold ACC football predictions, saying that Jacolby Criswell will be UNC’s top quarterback:

Coming out of spring, Texas A&M transfer Max Johnson battled Conner Harrell  for the Tar Heels’ starting job. The program since added a third option, former Arkansas quarterback Jacolby Criswell to the mix, who arrived as a serious threat to earn QB1 status in camp. He originally signed with the Tar Heels and played a couple seasons as a depth-chart option before serving as KJ Jefferson’s No. 2 last fall in the SEC. He’s back, seasoned and anxious to get his shot. Expect this to be Mack Brown’s final season in Chapel Hill as coach, so cycling through multiple quarterbacks might not be all that bold of a decision.

That’s a bold take as many believe this quarterback battle is down to just Harrell and Johnson.

Criswell returned to North Carolina after transferring out and playing at Arkansas. He’s the name that no one is really talking about in the quarterback battle and could sneak in and win the job.

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LSU announces player participants in this year’s SEC Media Days

Brian Kelly will be joined by Garrett Nussmeier, Harold Perkins and Mason Taylor in Dallas.

It’s almost that time of year again, folks. On July 15, SEC Media Days starts in Dallas. Obviously, there are a ton of topics that will be brought up surrounding conference newcomers Texas and Oklahoma, but we are here to hear about LSU.

For the LSU portion of media days, [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] has announced that he will be joined in Dallas by star quarterback [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag], star linebacker [autotag]Harold Perkins[/autotag] and star tight end [autotag]Mason Taylor[/autotag].

Nussmeier has patiently waited his turn on the bayou as he has been a backup to [autotag]Max Johnson[/autotag] during his freshman season and then he was a backup to [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] for the past two seasons. This fall it will be his time to shine.

Perkins has made a name for himself as a player who wreaks havoc while pass-rushing. He has a chance to be one of the top linebackers in the NFL draft next season.

Taylor will be a junior next fall and out of 27 possible games he could have played in during the past two seasons, he played in 26 games and started in 25 of those.

Next week will be a fun week for fans of SEC football.

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Peyton Manning compliments Garrett Nussmeier for staying at LSU

Garrett Nussmeier certainly could have pursued starting opportunities in the transfer portal, but he opted to stay in Baton Rouge.

The transfer portal is like a black hole that inhales players every year who are looking for a fresh new start at another school. One position that the transfer portal is full of is quarterbacks.

A lot of younger quarterbacks are not willing to sit behind a veteran and learn the ropes when they can transfer somewhere and play immediately. There are some exceptions, like LSU’s new starting quarterback [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag].

Nussmeier is a redshirt junior who has spent the past three seasons at LSU as a backup quarterback. [autotag]Max Johnson[/autotag] was the starter for the Tigers in 2021 and [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] has started the past two seasons.

Nussmeier recently went to the Manning Passing Academy and [autotag]Peyton Manning[/autotag] praised how Nuss decided to stay at LSU instead of transferring.

“It’s hard. I can’t speak for all of them but I know there’s something to learning the system, growing in it as opposed to learning a new system every year,” Manning said. “It’s extremely hard and a young quarterback has to learn a new system every year. It’s really hard to develop. In college if you choose to transfer, it takes a couple of years to be truly comfortable in a system I think. There are rewards for guys that stay that they should be comfortable in that system because you’ve had so many reps and that’s the best way to learn and grow.”

Nussmeier has the chance to lead LSU to the College Football Playoff this season.

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Phil Steele projects UNC football to finish amongst middle of ACC in 2024

Does Phil Steele’s projected 2024 finish for the UNC football team surprise you?

With July officially starting on Monday, that means one thing: college football begins next month.

The greatest storyline entering this fall is the expanded College Football Playoff, which increases from four to 12 teams. This gives teams outside of the usual Alabama, Ohio State and Michigan a greater chance to reach glory – will we see a Group of 5 school, such as App State, in the Final 12?

In Chapel Hill, the biggest storyline to watch is who quarterbacks a new-look roster. 2022 ACC Rookie and Player of the Year Drake Maye was selected early in this year’s NFL Draft – third overall by the New England Patriots – and North Carolina’s choices at 2024 starter range between Conner Harrell, Max Johnson and Jacoby Criswell.

The Tar Heels also sport a brand-new defensive coordinator in former Temple and Georgia Tech head coach Geoff Collins.

With all the questions across UNC’s roster, college football sportswriter/analyst Phil Steele picks UNC to finish eighth in the larger, 17-team ACC.

“North Carolina’s success during Mack Brown’s return to the program has been predicated by elite play at the quarterback position, with Sam Howell and Drake Maye helping elevate the program in a major way before making the jump to the NFL level,” Steele said in an On3 Sports article by Kaiden Smith. “Former Texas A&M and LSU quarterback Max Johnson will likely be this year’s starter under center, and will get help from one of the nation’s top running backs Omarion Hampton. But with the Tar Heels having their third defensive coordinator since 2019, better play on that side of the ball could dictate their success.”

Will the Tar Heels exceed expectations and compete for an ACC crown, or stay in mediocrity?

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LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier ready for long-awaited opportunity to start

Garrett Nussmeier will finally get the chance to start after three years of waiting.

It’s been a bit of a winding college journey for presumptive LSU starting quarterback [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag].

He saw the field early, playing in four games as a true freshman in 2021. Some of that was extended action, most notably when he played all but the first two series against Arkansas after taking over for [autotag]Max Johnson[/autotag], finishing the game 18 of 31 with 179 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions.

But when [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] arrived as a transfer in 2022, Nussmeier was relegated back to the bench. He’s appeared in 14 games over the last two seasons with most of his attempts coming as he stepped in for an injured Daniels against Georgia in the 2022 SEC Championship and again against Alabama in 2023.

Nussmeier has just one start in his career, a ReliaQuest Bowl win over Wisconsin to end last season. At the Manning Passing Academy, said he’s excited to finally get the chance to be the team’s starter after three years of waiting.

“With the dynamic, it’s changed obviously a little bit,” Nussmeier said. “But I’ve been preparing for this, I’ve been excited for this since I got to school. I got a flash of it my freshman year and then it was taken away. So I’ve just been itching to get it back ever since.

“Staying at LSU and being where I felt like I needed to be and where God had me for a reason, I’m excited. And like I said earlier, I’m just trying to put my head down and work, trust in God and let him do the rest.”

Nussmeier has big shoes to fill as he replaces Daniels, a two-year starter who won the Heisman Trophy in 2023 after leading the nation in nearly every quarterback stat. Whether Nussmeier can play at that level remains to be seen, but he seems to be mentally ready to lead this team as the starting quarterback.

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North Carolina’s quarterback room ranked amongst Top 10 tiers entering 2024 season

The 2024 UNC quarterback room is ranked higher than you might think.

Knowing that 2022 ACC Player of the Year Drake Maye was returning last season, the UNC football team didn’t have to stress about its quarterback situation.

With Drake Maye now in the NFL, looking to become the next great New England Patriots quarterback, North Carolina goes back to the drawing board under center. The Tar Heels return star running back Omarion Hampton and a deep tight end room, led by Bryson Nesbit, but carry a new group of wide receivers besides J.J. Jones and Nate McCollum.

UNC doesn’t have the luxury of knowing its starting quarterback this season, but it does have the luxury of three starting-caliber quarterbacks to choose from.

Duke’s Mayo Bowl starter Conner Harrell, Texas A&M transfer Max Johnson and Jacolby Criswell, who began his career in Chapel Hill, transferred back after a season at Arkansas.

With these three guys in the room, ESPN ranked North Carolina’s quarterback situation in its eighth tier (of 20) entering the fall.

Check out what ESPN has to say about Johnson regarding his Tier 8 spot:

“It’s UNC’s (Max) Johnson who no one seems to be overly excited about,” David Hale wrote. “Perhaps it’s that he has been stuck on two different SEC teams whose coaches ultimately got fired. Regardless, he has been pretty solid, if never entirely thrilling. He’s basically the Big Boi of college football — around forever, part of some big brands, always overshadowed and undervalued.”

I know the Tar Heels aren’t expected to do a ton this coming season, but they have a lot of unproven talent. That begins in the quarterback room, where either Harrell, Johnson or Criswell could start from Day One.

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North Carolina in bottom half of CBS Sports’ ACC football post-spring rankings

Can the UNC football program outperform its lowly preseason expectations this fall?

The college football offseason is always fun, right?

That “fun,” if you want to call it that, is highlighted in recent years by the transfer portal. JT Daniels transferred to seemingly every FBS school possible, while Jayden Daniels became a Heisman Trophy winner after heading from Arizona State to LSU.

Another fun part of the offseason is fans and media outlets hoping their preseason predictions come true. Will the Virginia Techs of the world finally return to conference championship glory? Does Michigan repeat its 2024 success?

In the ACC this coming fall, particularly for our North Carolina Tar Heels, there’s a ton of uncertainty. UNC lost 2022 ACC Player and Rookie of the Year Drake Maye to the NFL Draft, its best receiver in Devontez Walker also went pro and defensive standout Cedric Gray – if you haven’t caught onto the theme of this sentence – is also now a professional football player.

Due to all this uncertainty, CBS Sports ranks North Carolina 11th in its ACC post-spring power rankings, ahead of just Duke, Wake Forest, Boston College, Pitt, UVA and ACC newcomer Cal.

“After flipping Sam Howell and making a bowl game in his first year back, Mack Brown has mostly been leading North Carolina teams into the fall with expectations of competing for a title,” Chip Patterson wrote. “From 2020-23, the Tar Heels were picked in the top three of the ACC preseason media poll three times – interestingly enough, recording their best finish (2nd in 2022) in the year they were picked 7th – and twice boasting the Preseason All-ACC pick at quarterback. Now, quarterback is a huge question mark, the wide receiver position has lost key contributors and the defense is looking to finally take a step forward under new coordinator Geoff Collins. North Carolina may have one of the top running backs with Omarion Hampton back, but this is about as much uncertainty has the Tar Heels have had regarding both the ceiling and floor for expectations heading into the season.”

These are simply just preseason rankings, which we’ve seen plenty of teams outperform. We’ve also firsthand witnessed basketball teams not live up to their preseason hype (no, we don’t want to relive those painful memories).

Despite their uncertainty at quarterback, the Tar Heels have an intriguing battle between Duke’s Mayo Bowl starter Conner Harrell and Texas A&M transfer Max Johnson.

Senior wide receiver J.J. Jones and a deep tight end room, however, bring some much needed comfortability for whoever wins the starting QB gig.

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Jacolby Criswell on why he’s returning to UNC football program

Why did Jacolby Criswell announce his return to the UNC football program?

Remember the name Jacolby Criswell?

If you do, it’s because he was in a pretty tight battle for the QB1 spot with Drake Maye ahead of the 2022 UNC football season.

Sam Howell recently departed for the 2022 NFL Draft, leaving North Carolina with two largely unproven quarterbacks at the collegiate level.

Criswell transferred to Arkansas ahead of the 2023 campaign, with Maye locking down the starting job not far into 2022. The hope for Criswell was to compete with KJ Jefferson for the starting job, but Criswell only played four games in reserve action, though he did throw three touchdowns.

Criswell, an Arkansas native, re-entered the transfer portal two weeks back and found his destination – North Carolina.

It’s not uncommon to see a student-athlete enter a transfer portal, but it is rare to see them back at their initial program.

In a recent interview with InsideCarolina, Criswell explained his decision in returning to Chapel Hill:

“Well, I’m still close with all the guys here,” Criswell told InsideCarolina’s Jeremiah Holloway. Just being around those guys my first couple of years and the culture here — I mean, this is where I committed to begin with. So there was a reason why I committed here. And just looking back at everything, this is actually my home. And a lot of times, when you leave somewhere, it’s not good to go back. But when it comes to Carolina, it’s always great.”

Criswell’s return gives UNC yet another weapon and tough choice at quarterback, as Duke’s Mayo Bowl starter Conner Harrell and Texas A&M transfer Max Johnson were already competing for the starting gig. Harrell’s upside is a strong arm, longstanding chemistry with his teammates and familiarity with the system, while Johnson brings several years of starting experience to the table.

Criswell has not started a game yet, but he’s even more familiar with North Carolina’s system than Harrell.

Will that familiarity be enough to land Criswell the starting job in his return?

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