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UNC Football: Tar Heel quarterback selected for third team All-American

By Blake Cockrum

BLACKSBURG, VA - OCTOBER 19: Quarterback Sam Howell #7 of the North Carolina Tar Heels throws against the Virginia Tech Hokies in the first half at Lane Stadium on October 19, 2019 in Blacksburg, Virginia. (Photo by Michael Shroyer/Getty Images)
BLACKSBURG, VA - OCTOBER 19: Quarterback Sam Howell #7 of the North Carolina Tar Heels throws against the Virginia Tech Hokies in the first half at Lane Stadium on October 19, 2019 in Blacksburg, Virginia. (Photo by Michael Shroyer/Getty Images) /
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UNC football standout Sam Howell has been named a preseason third team All-American by Athlon Sports.

After a spectacular freshman season and all of the subsequent hype that has come with it, North Carolina sophomore quarterback Sam Howell has been selected a preseason third team All-American by Athlon Sports.

https://twitter.com/TarHeelFootball/status/1273292519489466368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1273292519489466368&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fchapelboro.com%2Fsports%2Func-sports%2Fathlon-sports-selects-sam-howell-as-preseason-third-team-all-american

Howell, a 6-foot-1, 225-pound quarterback out of Monroe, North Carolina, compiled 3,641 passing yards and 38 touchdowns through the air last season — the most ever by a true freshman. He also ran for a touchdown, caught a touchdown and threw just seven interceptions on the season. He had a 61.4 completion percentage on the season, and a passer rating of 160.2.

He had six games of 300 or more passing yards, and a career-high 401 in a 41-10 victory over the NC State Wolfpack in Raleigh on November 11. He put together eight games with at least three touchdown passes, and tossed four or more scores on three occasions. He threw a career-best five touchdowns in a six overtime loss to Virginia Tech in mid-October, and never threw for fewer than two scores in any game over the course of his rookie season.

Howell won ACC Rookie of the Week honors six times in 2019, and was named ACC Rookie of the Year by the league’s 14 head coaches and a 46-member media panel. He is the fifth Tar Heel to be named the conference’s Rookie of the Year, but first since Dre Bly 23 years ago.

Much of the Tar Heels’ hopes for a big 2020 season rest on the shoulders of the 20-year-old signal caller. Thankfully, Howell has one of the best wide receiver tandems in the nation in Dazz Newsome and Dyami Brown, as well as a pair of terrific running backs in Javonte Williams and Michael Carter.

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Check back with Keeping It Heel throughout the offseason for more on Sam Howell, and everything UNC football.

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