The Atlantic Coast Conference named UNC redshirt freshman quarterback Drake Maye its Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year and Offensive Rookie of the Year Wednesday afternoon. In the history of the ACC, only Florida State’s Jameis Winston has swept all four of those awards.

Maye is the first Tar Heel to win ACC Player of the Year since 1980, when Lawrence Taylor did so.

In his first season as UNC’s starting quarterback, Maye has staked his claim to the spotlight by shattering the school record for passing yards (3,847 and counting). His 35 passing touchdowns are just three shy of tying Sam Howell’s record set in 2019. Maye is also Carolina’s leading rusher with 629 yards on the ground and six touchdowns. He joins Texas Tech’s Patrick Mahomes and Texas A&M’s Johnny Manziel as quarterbacks to average 300 passing yards per game and lead their team in rushing since 2013.

He is just the ninth FBS quarterback since 2010 with 3,500 passing yards, 35 passing touchdowns, 500 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns in a single season. That company includes former stars such as Oregon’s Marcus Mariota, Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence and Baylor’s Robert Griffin III, each of whom won the Heisman Trophy.

Maye is also the only ACC player this century to register at least 300 passing yards and 50 rushing yards in four consecutive games. He was named as a semifinalist for several prestigious national honors, including the Walter Camp National Player of the Year Award and the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award. In addition, Maye was named ACC Quarterback of the Week six times and ACC Rookie of the Week five times. Pro Football Focus graded Maye as the best quarterback among Power 5 programs.

Ironically enough, 1980 was also the last time Carolina won the ACC Championship. Maye will look to add that honor to his ever-growing trophy case this Saturday night when the Tar Heels face Clemson in Charlotte.

 

Featured image via Associated Press/Chuck Burton

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