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You could say the Carolina-at-Minnesota game will get Max attention.
The cat and mouse game between Mack Brown and P.J. Fleck over the secrecy of starting lineups continues, but it sure looks like one of the teams will start a quarterback named Max. Maybe both.
Brown hasn’t tipped off which of his three experienced QBs will start the season opener next Thursday night on FOX, but speculation is building that for the Tar Heels it will be LSU/Texas A&M transfer Max Johnson, the 6-5 lefty who has 30 games in the SEC on his resume.
For the Golden Gophers, it looks like sixth-year graduate transfer Max Brosmer from New Hampshire. Has there ever been a college football game where both starting quarterbacks were named Max? I checked with AI, which didn’t have a clue. But both are from the state of Georgia, so go figure.
The data dump squarely gives the edge of experience and execution to Johnson, who started 22 games for the Tigers and Aggies, completing 60.5 percent of his passes for 5,850 yards and 47 touchdowns. He is listed as a senior with two years of eligibility remaining, thanks to taking one as a red-shirt at LSU and another at Texas A&M shortened by injuries that apparently gave him a COVID sixth season.
Brosmer has a better resume, but it is from the Football College Subdivision level, where New Hampshire plays. He started 31 games for the Wildcats and threw for 8,000 total yards with 69 touchdowns and 19 interceptions. Last season, he led the entire FCS with 3,500 yards for 179 first downs in 461 attempts. He had a Football Focus grade of 83.5 out of 100 that included throwing 12 touchdowns passes and four picks.
If Brown or Fleck has to go to their respective back-ups, Carolina has a solid advantage there, as well, with redshirt sophomore Conner Harrell and grad student Jacolby Criswell, who transferred back to UNC after a season at Arkansas. Minnesota’s back-up is true freshman Drake Lindsey, who joined the program in time for spring practice and apparently looks pretty good.
Brown could announce his starter at Friday’s press conference, and he has already said whoever it will be stays in the game as long as he produces. If not, he will come out and give the QB2 a shot.
Will it be Max squared or someone else for the Tar Heels, who for the last five seasons were led by NFL-bound quarterbacks Sam Howell and Drake Maye? Howell and Maye led pass-happy offenses, combining for 18,300 yards and 155 touchdowns over their five-plus seasons.
“We were trying to win the Heisman Trophy, so we were throwing the ball on every play,” Brown quipped recently. This season, Carolina will be satisfied with just a win, no matter who is flinging the pigskin.
Featured image via Associated Press/LM Otero
Art Chansky is a veteran journalist who has written ten books, including best-sellers “Game Changers,” “Blue Bloods,” and “The Dean’s List.” He has contributed to WCHL for decades, having made his first appearance as a student in 1971. His “Sports Notebook” commentary airs daily on the 97.9 The Hill WCHL and his “Art’s Angle” opinion column runs weekly on Chapelboro.Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.
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