Brown calls on UNC to ‘rally around’ Harrell at QB
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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. —
Now it’s up to Harrell, a third-year sophomore who will make his second career start Saturday at home against Charlotte.
“He’s been told: ‘You’ve got it,'” Brown said. “And the team’s been told: ‘Let’s rally around your new quarterback and let’s go, and let’s make this work.’ Like I said, he’s really good. So it’s time for him to go have fun and play good.”
Harrell appeared in five games as a backup to eventual No. 3 overall NFL draft pick Drake Maye last season, then started the Duke’s Mayo Bowl loss to West Virginia after Maye declared for the draft.
After Johnson’s exit, Harrell closed out the win Thursday at Minnesota by completing 2 of 4 passes for 34 yards.
“I’ve seen him be way more confident and way more assertive with our team,” offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey said. “He was thrown into a tough situation the other night. … He executed and did what we asked him to do.
“I think you’re going to see him evolve. He’s still a young player.”
Brown said the goal for Johnson, the son of former NFL quarterback Brad Johnson, is to have him participate in virtual team or quarterback meetings until his return, and then have him help coach the other passers. The school has said that Johnson is expected to make a full recovery and that the passer still has two years of eligibility remaining.
