Aug 9, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Howell (8) under center against the Houston Texans in the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

Sam Howell and Drake Maye Showed the Importance of Coaching

Originally posted on North Carolina Tar Heels on SI
By Jeremiah Artacho | Last updated Aug 16, 2025 9:02 AM ET

First, it was Sam Howell as the quarterback during the 2019, 2020 and 2021 seasons. Then, it was Drake Maye during the 2022 and 2023 campaigns, having played some during Howell's last season in Chapel Hill before adventuring off to the NFL. Despite the two quarterbacks having outstanding careers, maybe two that will be hard to come across in the future, they fell so short in terms of team success.

Insert: the importance of coaching.

Here are some stats for both Howell and Maye before digging into the coaching aspect:

Howell:

2019 - 259/422 CMP-ATT, 61.4% CMP, 3,641 YDS, 8.6 AVG, 38 TDs, 7 INTs
2020 - 237/348 CMP-ATT, 68.1& CMP, 3,586 YDS, 10.3 AVG, 30 TDs, 7 INTs
2021 - 217/347 CMP-ATT, 62.5% CMP, 3,056 YDS, 8.8 AVG, 24 TDs, 9 INTs

Maye:

2021 - 7/10 CMP-ATT, 70% CMP, 89 YDS, 8.9 AVG, 1 TD
2022 - 342/517 CMP-ATT, 66.2% CMP, 4,321 YDS, 8.4 AVG, 38 TDs
2023 - 269/425 CMP-ATT, 63.3% CMP, 3,608 YDS, 8.5 AVG, 24 TDs

Now all of that information is laid out, let's continue moving along with the discussion.

Arguably the Two Best Quarterbacks in UNC History

How? What was missing? Were the performances of either of the two quarterbacks not enough for UNC to get over the hump? What was the cause of not having much team success, regardless of having eventual NFL players on the roster in arguably the most important position in football — the signal caller.

Did former head coach Mack Brown not have his A-game at all times? Maybe if Howell or Maye were at other schools, then they could have found team success (perhaps a bowl game, considering there was no such thing as a 12-team playoff format until recently.

Howell became the 144th pick in the fifth round, getting selected by the Washington Commanders in 2022. Maye found himself as the third pick of last year's NFL Draft, landing with the New England Patriots.

In the end, UNC had notable seasons with either Howell or Maye for the most part, but lost game that may have swung North Carolina's way with a little bit more coaching or for what it's worth, the right coaching.

Perhaps the presence of Head Coach Bill Belichick will change things for the better on and off the field, which he already has done in numerous ways.

Please

This article first appeared on North Carolina Tar Heels on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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