True freshman Sam Howell named UNC's QB1

[EastHallApp]

Nobody has actually compared Howell to Trevor Lawrence. Besides not being nearly as highly rated as a recruit, he's also six inches shorter.

The comparison I've seen most often from UNC circles is Baker Mayfield. Obviously that's also wildly optimistic and probably gets used with just about every cocky, undersized QB who can scramble a bit. But at least it gives a closer idea stylistically how he plays.

[Mjohn1988]

Just gotta hope he’s not the next Trevor Lawrence.

There has only really been one Trevor Lawrence in College Football History. My guess is he's more of a Taylor Lamb as a freshman.

If that’s the case UNC got a good one

[Yosef84]

I think the Trevor Lawrence reference wasn't an actual comparison. Someone just said "he could be as good as Trevor Lawrence....."

I don't think any actual comparison was intended. The statement was about the guys around him.

[Mjohn1988]

I just said, I hope he’s not the next Trevor Lawrence. Understandably a lot of folks seemed to feel real good about going against a true freshman QB. I just couldn’t help thinking that the same thing was probably true last year when Clemson started Lawrence. Those thought went up in smoke pretty fast. But I have absolutely no reason to compare this young man to Lawrence.

[Appster99]

I just said, I hope he’s not the next Trevor Lawrence. Understandably a lot of folks seemed to feel real good about going against a true freshman QB. I just couldn’t help thinking that the same thing was probably true last year when Clemson started Lawrence. Those thought went up in smoke pretty fast. But I have absolutely no reason to compare this young man to Lawrence.

I remember this undersized, under-recruited true freshman once upon a time who lead someone to a second straight national championship. Forget Trevor Lawrence, I hope he is no Armanti Edwards. Its all typical, pre-season fan speculation at this point. We will know in a few weeks after he a a couple college games under his belt.

[Mjohn1988]

I just said, I hope he’s not the next Trevor Lawrence. Understandably a lot of folks seemed to feel real good about going against a true freshman QB. I just couldn’t help thinking that the same thing was probably true last year when Clemson started Lawrence. Those thought went up in smoke pretty fast. But I have absolutely no reason to compare this young man to Lawrence.

I remember this undersized, under-recruited true freshman once upon a time who lead someone to a second straight national championship. Forget Trevor Lawrence, I hope he is no Armanti Edwards. Its all typical, pre-season fan speculation at this point. We will know in a few weeks after he a a couple college games under his belt.

Gotta say, I like the way you think.

[Yosef10]

It was said that someone hopes Howell isn’t the next Lawrence. I said Howell shouldn’t be mentioned in the same sentence as Lawrence because people knew exactly what Lawrence was gonna be as a true freshman. I’m a recruiting nerd and that kid had everyone saying he already looked like an NFL QB going into his senior year. Howell didn’t draw any such praise.

[AppGrad78]

It was said that someone hopes Howell isn’t the next Lawrence. I said Howell shouldn’t be mentioned in the same sentence as Lawrence because people knew exactly what Lawrence was gonna be as a true freshman. I’m a recruiting nerd and that kid had everyone saying he already looked like an NFL QB going into his senior year. Howell didn’t draw any such praise.

I'll defer to your recruiting acumen but the UNC coaching staff seemed pretty jacked the day Howell committed.

[NoLongerLurking]

I heard from a reputable source Zac Thomas will be QB1. Win or lose, I don't give a flying copulation nor a rat's anus about any member of a school that made "Approaching the Qur’an: The Early Revelations" mandatory reading for their freshmen in 2002.

[NoLongerLurking]

I guess I'm not woke enough due to my 4 deployments to afghanistan and iraq. Still, copulate UNC.

[NewApp]

I guess I'm not woke enough due to my 4 deployments to afghanistan and iraq. Still, copulate UNC.

Thank you for your service, NLL.

[NoLongerLurking]

I guess I'm not woke enough due to my 4 deployments to afghanistan and iraq. Still, copulate UNC.

Thank you for your service, NLL.

Thanks for paying your taxes.

[Yosef10]

It was said that someone hopes Howell isn’t the next Lawrence. I said Howell shouldn’t be mentioned in the same sentence as Lawrence because people knew exactly what Lawrence was gonna be as a true freshman. I’m a recruiting nerd and that kid had everyone saying he already looked like an NFL QB going into his senior year. Howell didn’t draw any such praise.

I'll defer to your recruiting acumen but the UNC coaching staff seemed pretty jacked the day Howell committed.

And?

[The Rock]

It was said that someone hopes Howell isn’t the next Lawrence. I said Howell shouldn’t be mentioned in the same sentence as Lawrence because people knew exactly what Lawrence was gonna be as a true freshman. I’m a recruiting nerd and that kid had everyone saying he already looked like an NFL QB going into his senior year. Howell didn’t draw any such praise.

I'll defer to your recruiting acumen but the UNC coaching staff seemed pretty jacked the day Howell committed.

Everybody seems jacked up when they get a commit. No coach is going to tweet: Not the guy we wanted, but the guy we got...welcome

[EastHallApp]

It was said that someone hopes Howell isn’t the next Lawrence. I said Howell shouldn’t be mentioned in the same sentence as Lawrence because people knew exactly what Lawrence was gonna be as a true freshman. I’m a recruiting nerd and that kid had everyone saying he already looked like an NFL QB going into his senior year. Howell didn’t draw any such praise.

I'll defer to your recruiting acumen but the UNC coaching staff seemed pretty jacked the day Howell committed.

Two things can both be true:

1) Sam Howell was a very highly rated, coveted recruit.
2) He was nowhere near as highly rated as Trevor Lawrence.

Yosef10 is right; Lawrence was considered even in HS to be (forgive the cliche) a generational talent. There are lots of good QB recruits every year who coaching staffs are excited to sign. Lawrence was simply on another level, as Alabama found out the hard way.

[ericsaid]

It was said that someone hopes Howell isn’t the next Lawrence. I said Howell shouldn’t be mentioned in the same sentence as Lawrence because people knew exactly what Lawrence was gonna be as a true freshman. I’m a recruiting nerd and that kid had everyone saying he already looked like an NFL QB going into his senior year. Howell didn’t draw any such praise.

I'll defer to your recruiting acumen but the UNC coaching staff seemed pretty jacked the day Howell committed.

Apparently Drink was dancing and yelling out in the hallway when he got word of the commit from Baldwin-Griffin. Does that mean App got the next Trevor Lawrence as well?

Lawrence is a generational talent and would be starting on a NFL team in 3 weeks if not for NCAA/NFL rules. Can't say the same for Howell.

UNC is now switching to a new offense, with a new coaching staff, with a true freshman QB. With App's experience on defense, I'd give anything to get one game with Brown or Woody calling the shots again. The 3-4 in full on aggression mode would have a real opportunity to break a True Freshman here.

[ericsaid]

It was said that someone hopes Howell isn’t the next Lawrence. I said Howell shouldn’t be mentioned in the same sentence as Lawrence because people knew exactly what Lawrence was gonna be as a true freshman. I’m a recruiting nerd and that kid had everyone saying he already looked like an NFL QB going into his senior year. Howell didn’t draw any such praise.

I'll defer to your recruiting acumen but the UNC coaching staff seemed pretty jacked the day Howell committed.

Two things can both be true:

1) Sam Howell was a very highly rated, coveted recruit.
2) He was nowhere near as highly rated as Trevor Lawrence.

Yosef10 is right; Lawrence was considered even in HS to be (forgive the cliche) a generational talent. There are lots of good QB recruits every year who coaching staffs are excited to sign. Lawrence was simply on another level, as Alabama found out the hard way.

If there ever was such a thing as a generational talent in High School, it was Lawrence. Dude could've gone to the NFL, pulled a Patrick Mahomes and sat for a year, then started this season. Or he could've been one and done ala College Basketball and likely been starting for a NFL team this year.

Can't really remember any other college QB you'd make that claim about in the modern era.

[ericsaid]

Just gotta hope he’s not the next Trevor Lawrence.

There has only really been one Trevor Lawrence in College Football History. My guess is he's more of a Taylor Lamb as a freshman.

If that’s the case UNC got a good one

Within context, if Howell can manage the game (Air Raid offense =/= manage for QB) well enough, UNC could get to 5 to 6 wins. This is a Year 0 (ESPN Term) situation for the program though.

[EastHallApp]

In terms of their offense, I kind of wish we played UNC first, before they've had three games to either break Howell in or figure out who to replace him with. There's plenty of talent around the QB on that roster.

OTOH, I'm glad we'll have three games' worth of film on their defense. For those who don't know, they brought in the DC from Army, who's known for his creativity in disguising defenses to get the most out of less-than-elite talent. Good chance for Drink to earn his money as a playcaller.

[Yosef10]

In terms of their offense, I kind of wish we played UNC first, before they've had three games to either break Howell in or figure out who to replace him with. There's plenty of talent around the QB on that roster.

OTOH, I'm glad we'll have three games' worth of film on their defense. For those who don't know, they brought in the DC from Army, who's known for his creativity in disguising defenses to get the most out of less-than-elite talent. Good chance for Drink to earn his money as a playcaller.

It’s gonna be interesting to see the Bateman/Longo dynamic. While Bateman’s defense was pretty lights out, that’s also with the top ranked TOP team in the country. Longo’s offense was ranked something like 116 in TOP. I think it’s going to take some time for those two to have their units play off/with each other.