Which Tar Heel QB will see the most reps?
In the post-Drake Maye era, North Carolina has had an ongoing quarterback competition between Max Johnson and Conner Harrell. Both quarterbacks can make plays through the air and on the ground; however, Johnson brings four years of SEC experience, having played at LSU and Texas A&M previously. Head coach Mack Brown said he expects both players to play in Thursday’s game, so it will be interesting to see who gets the bulk of the repetitions.
Who else will step up for UNC in the passing game?
A quarterback is almost nothing without good weapons. North Carolina will need multiple weapons to help out whoever they decide to go with at quarterback, including their leading receiver in 2023, J.J. Jones. Nate McCollum and Gavin Blackwell will also need to step up in order to help this new-look Tar Heel offense.
Can the Gophers’ front seven contain Omarion Hampton?
With UNC’s new quarterback situation, running back Omarion Hampton will likely see a lot of action in the season opener. Hampton had a monster year rushing for over 1,500 yards and scoring 15 touchdowns in 2023. Defensive linemen Jah Joyner and Danny Striggow will play a massive role in the Golden Gophers trying to limit Hampton’s big-play ability.
How will Max Brosmer look with his new team?
Like the Tar Heels, Minnesota will have a new quarterback in New Hampshire transfer Max Brosmer this year. Brosmer is coming off two 3,000+ passing seasons with the Wildcats and hopes to bring that same pedigree to Minneapolis. Luckily, the Gophers return their leading pass catcher last season with Daniel Jackson, so we’ll see if that connection can help Minnesota get off to a 1-0 start.