Saturday is expected to be Drake Maye’s final game in Kenan Stadium as the Tar Heels face the rival Duke Blue Devils. The redshirt sophomore quarterback was given the opportunity to participate in Saturday’s Senior Day by Mack Brown on Monday and earlier today he revealed his decision on what he will do.
“I think Senior Day, personally, is meant for seniors,” Maye said while meeting the media this morning. “When I think back on it, I remember Luke’s speech in the Dean Dome and how heartfelt it was. I think that feeling knowing as a senior that you won’t be back is different than the position that I’m at. So, just leave that to the senior guys.” Maye added he hasn’t made a decision on his future at this point. “You never know. I haven’t made a decision about what next year’s going for.”
While Maye’s decision on next year hasn’t been made yet, the Tar Heel head coach said it best when he was asked about it on Monday. “I don’t know if this is Drake’s last home game. It’d be mine.” It makes sense why he would say that based on where Maye sits on most of the draft big boards. He currently sits inside the top five of just about every single draft experts bog board and may have him firmly in the running to be the No. 1 overall pick alongside fellow quarterback prospect Caleb Williams. Unless Maye is that disinterested in the teams at the top of the draft, it seems inevitable that he will in fact be gone at season’s end.
Maye may not be walking with the seniors on Saturday, but it will be a chance for him to leave with one of the most significant wins of his career to this point. A win on Saturday would go a long way towards restoring the faith in what once was a special season for Tar Heel football and keep the team in the running to get back to Charlotte, which was the goal for him this season.
This will also be the perfect opportunity for the Tar Heel faithful to pay tribute to the best quarterback that has put on the team’s uniform. Maye, much like his predecessor Sam Howell, has left it all of the field for the team over the past two years and the fans should return the favor on Saturday night in this extremely important game.