North Carolina is moving ahead with Conner Harrell as its starting quarterback after Max Johnson’s season-ending injury in the opening win at Minnesota.
“He’s just got to get confidence and go,” coach Mack Brown said on Monday. “It’s his. It’s his.”
Johnson, who had won the starting job over Harrell, got hurt in the third quarter against the Gophers and had to be taken off the field by ambulance.
He underwent surgery for a broken right leg in Minneapolis, and Brown mentioned that Johnson was scheduled for another procedure on Monday.
Johnson will stay in Minnesota for a week or two, with a UNC assistant trainer staying behind to help him until he can return to Chapel Hill.
Now, Harrell, a third-year sophomore, will make his second career start on Saturday at home against Charlotte.
“He’s been told: ‘You’ve got it,’” Brown said. “And the team’s been told: ‘Let’s rally around your new quarterback and make this work.’ Like I said, he’s really good. So it’s time for him to go have fun and play well.”
Harrell played in five games last season as a backup to eventual No. 3 NFL draft pick Drake Maye and started the Duke’s Mayo Bowl loss to West Virginia after Maye left for the draft.
He finished the game against Minnesota after Johnson’s injury, completing 2 of 4 passes for 34 yards.
“I’ve seen him be much more confident and assertive with our team,” offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey said. “He was thrown into a tough situation the other night … He executed and did what we asked him to do.
“I think you’re going to see him grow. He’s still a young player.”
