Keeping It Heel
Fansided

UNC Football: Sam Howell named among best returning QB’s

By Zack Pearson

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 26: Sam Howell #7 of the North Carolina Tar Heels drops back to pass against the Duke Blue Devils during their game at Kenan Stadium on October 26, 2019 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 26: Sam Howell #7 of the North Carolina Tar Heels drops back to pass against the Duke Blue Devils during their game at Kenan Stadium on October 26, 2019 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

UNC Football quarterback Sam Howell was named among the top returning players at his position for the 2020 season

While the future of the 2020 college football season is still in jeopardy, the hope is that we get some football games even if its conference-only. The Big Ten was the first to announce that they would move to a conference-only format and that was followed by the PAC-12 making that same decision.

For the Atlantic Coast Conference, their announcement will come at the end of July but it’s expected to be the same thing as the Big Ten and PAC-12.

If there is a season for 2020, UNC Football fans will go into it very optimistic thanks into large part of how the team ended 2019. UNC finished 7-6 but won their first bowl game since 2013 as they turned things around.

A big reason for that turn around was freshman quarterback Sam Howell who turned in one of the best true freshman seasons in college football history. With Howell back for another year, he’s earned some praise from some big publications and the latest is Yahoo! Sports. 

The site ranked the top returning quarterbacks for 2020 and had Howell right there in their Top 5 at number 4:

"When Mack Brown was brought back to North Carolina, he swooped in and kept Sam Howell, once a Florida State commitment, in his home state. Howell immediately earned the starting role as a true freshman — and for good reason. After combining for five wins in the previous two seasons, Howell led UNC back to the postseason and threw for 3,641 yards and 38 touchdowns (with only seven INTs) in the process. That touchdown total is the third-best single-season mark in ACC history behind only Deshaun Watson (41 in 2016) and Jameis Winston (40 in 2013). The sky’s the limit for Howell as he enters his sophomore year."

Howell is behind Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence (No. 1), Ohio State’s Justin Fields (No. 2) and Texas’ Sam Ehlinger (No. 3). All three are really damn good players and should be Heisman contenders but Howell is right up there with them.

The quarterback was fantastic next season and a big step forward this offseason could lead to bigger things for Howell in 2020. Heck, he could be a legit Heisman contender for the next two seasons and have UNC in the national spotlight again.

Next. 5-star DB Tony Grimes to reclassify. dark

For more on Howell and other UNC Football players, please check back with Keeping It Heel.

Home/UNC Football