UNC Football: An even better version of Drake Maye?

Should UNC football fans expect to see an even better version of Drake Maye this fall? According to Mack Brown, that’s what is expected.

Drake Maye simply burst onto the scene during his first season as the UNC football program’s starting quarterback.

One of the best quarterbacks in the entire country, Maye threw for over 4,300 yards and 38 touchdowns while completing 66.2% of his pass attempts. He was also a weapon in the running game, as he ran for 698 yards and seven scores.

His effort played a vital role in the Tar Heels offensive attack which averaged 34.4 points per game during the 2022 season.

Maye earned a ton of in-conference recognition as he took home the ACC Player of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and Offensive Rookie of the Year Awards as well as being a First-Team All-ACC selection.

After an impressive rookie season, the UNC football program would love more of the same from Maye this upcoming year. However, head coach Mack Brown thinks that Maye will be even better this fall.

"“We feel like as good as he played last year? We’re going to see an even better version of Drake this fall.”"

You may be asking, “Why does Brown think Maye will be even better than he was a season ago?”

Well, the answer is simple: the work that Maye has put in to improve his game throughout the offseason.

"“After the season, he felt like he wanted help with his throwing motion. He wanted help with his feet, he wanted help with his presence in the pocket. So we were so fortunate to hire Chip Lindsey, who has two current NFL quarterbacks that he coached. He’s got some really good teachers around him right now."

Maye could’ve easily been satisfied with his strong performance as a redshirt freshman, but he chose to self-reflect to identify areas that he could improve his game. He identified some areas, such as improving his throwing motion, feet, and pocket presence, and went to work. The addition of Chip Lindsey certainly helped, as he provided another person with a ton of football experience for Maye to rely on.

When you sit down to watch UNC football games this fall, don’t be surprised if Maye is even better than he was during the 2022 season. Even though there’s a ton of pressure and hype surrounding him, and rightly so, Brown believes that Maye is up for the challenge, as he expects big things from his second-year quarterback.

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