On Saturday, UNC and Duke football teams will play their yearly spring games.
The Tar Heels will play in Kenan Stadium at 3 p.m., while the Blue Devils will play in Wallace Wade Stadium at 6 p.m.
Both scrimmages are free to attend, but UNC’s spring game is not scheduled to air on television. ACC Network will showcase the Blue Devils.
Under head coach Mack Brown, the Tar Heels finished 8-5 in 2023, including a 4-4 record in the ACC. Duke finished with an 8-5 record, just like UNC, although this is head coach Manny Diaz’s first year leading the Blue Devils.
With former Georgia Tech coach Geoff Collins guiding the Devils and Diaz, who has a reputation for being a defensive player, taking over for the Tar Heels, the defenses will appear different.
However, this weekend will mostly focus on each school’s quarterbacks.
Who will start as quarterback for UNC football now that Drake Maye is gone?
Max Johnson vs Conner Harrell. Both players will get the chance to demonstrate their abilities to replace Drake Maye, who is predicted to be selected in the top five of the NFL Draft, as the starting quarterback.
Johnson, who spent four seasons in the SEC before moving via the transfer gate to Chapel Hill, has completed 30 games with 5,853 passing yards, 47 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. Although Harrell has demonstrated glimpses of his ability and promise, the lefty has experience on his side.
Harrell, a redshirt sophomore, started for the Tar Heels for the first time in the season’s last game in 2023 and finished with 270 yards and a touchdown. This next weekend at Kenan Stadium, all eyes will be on Johnson and Harrell.
