CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — North Carolina is set to sign Conner Harrell as its starting quarterback after Max Johnson suffered a season-ending injury in the opening win over Minnesota.
“He just has to get the confidence and go,” coach Mack Brown said Monday. “That’s his right.”
Johnson had beaten Harrell to start the first game, but he injured his leg in the third quarter against the Gophers and had to be taken to the hospital. He underwent surgery on his broken right leg in Minneapolis, and Brown said Johnson will have another surgery Monday.
Brown said Johnson will stay a week or two in Minnesota, where UNC has left an assistant coach to stay with him until he can return to Chapel Hill.
Now it’s up to Harrell, a sophomore, who will make his second career start Saturday at home against Charlotte.
“He was told, ‘You got what you wanted,’ and the team was told, ‘Let’s get around the new quarterback and let’s get started, and let’s make this work,'” Brown said. “And like I said, he’s really good. So it’s time for him to have fun and play well.”
Harrell appeared in five games as a replacement for last season’s NFL third-round pick Drake May, then started Duke’s May Bowl loss to West Virginia after May announced his all-league selection.
After Johnson’s exit, Harrell finished Thursday’s win in Minnesota by completing 2-of-4 passes for 34 yards.
“I’ve seen him be more confident and more assertive with our team,” offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey said. “He was put in a tough spot last night … He did what we asked him to do.
“I think you’ll see his development, he’s still a young player.”
Brown said Johnson, the son of former NFL quarterback Brad Johnson, has a goal of having him in team meetings or virtual quarterbacks until he returns, and then helping him coach other passers. The school said Johnson is expected to make a full recovery and the passer still has two years of eligibility left.
