Tar Heels turn to Conner Harrell at QB after Max Johnson's season-ending injury

Updated Sep. 2, 2024 4:06 p.m. ET

Associated Press

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina is moving forward with Conner Harrell as its starting quarterback after Max Johnson suffered a season-ending injury in the opening win at Minnesota.

“He's just got to get confidence and go,” coach Mack Brown said Monday. “It's his. It's his.”

Johnson had beaten out Harrell to be the Game 1 starter but suffered a leg injury in the third quarter against the Gophers and had to be carted off and taken to a hospital. He had surgery for a broken right leg in Minneapolis and Brown said Johnson was having another procedure Monday.

Brown said Johnson will remain for a week or two in Minnesota, where UNC has left an assistant trainer behind to stay with Johnson until he's able to return to Chapel Hill.

Now it's up to Harrell, a third-year sophomore who 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 let's go, and let's make this work.' Like I said, he's really good. So it's time for him to go have fun and play good."

Harrell appeared in five games as a backup to eventual No. 3 overall NFL draft pick Drake Maye last season, then started the Duke's Mayo Bowl loss to West Virginia after Maye declared for the draft.

He closed out the win Thursday at Minnesota after Johnson's exit, completing 2 of 4 passes for 34 yards.

“I've seen him be way more confident and way more 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 evolve. He's still a young player.”

Brown said the goal for Johnson, the son of former NFL quarterback Brad Johnson, is to have him participate in virtual team or quarterback meetings until his return, and then have him help coach the other passers. The school has said Johnson is expected to make a full recovery and that the passer still has two years of eligibility remaining.

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