UNC quarterback Drake Maye's right arm has thrown 43 touchdown passes for the Tar Heels. His left arm just got on the board.
The much-hyped NFL Draft prospect had a touchdown to remember in the second quarter of UNC's game against Pitt on Saturday, scrambling to hit wide receiver Kobe Paysour as a southpaw.
Hey @PatrickMahomes,
— Carolina Football (@UNCFootball) September 24, 2023
Thoughts on @DrakeMaye2's lefty touchdown throw? pic.twitter.com/ZhbSAqUYgK
Maye's right arm was busy holding off Pitt pass-rusher Nate Temple, leaving him to throw a wobbly prayer as defensive back A.J. Woods bore down on him.
Drake Maye throws a left-handed touchdown! pic.twitter.com/Xaz6uGIyGj
— Ian Valentino (@NFLDraftStudy) September 24, 2023
The score was part of a 28-17 first half for UNC, which reached the end zone in three of four possessions, plus a punt return touchdown.
Maye is coming off redshirt freshman season in which he posted 4,321 passing yards, a 66.2% completion rate, 8.4 yards per pass attempt, 38 touchdown passes, 7 interceptions, 698 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns, good for a 10th place finish in Heisman Trophy voting.
That breakout performance saw UNC go 9-5, losing to Oregon in the Holiday Bowl. Maye entered this season widely hyped as a top Heisman candidate, though the Tar Heels had to replace offensive coordinator Phil Longo and top receivers Josh Downs and Antoine Green.
So far this season, Maye hasn't quite posted stats at the same clip, with 891 passing yards, four touchdown passes and four interceptions in his first three games against South Carolina, Appalachian State and Minnesota, but he also still has UNC undefeated as it looks for its first conference championship 1980. A Coastal division title alone would give them their first back-to-back division titles since the ACC introduced them in 2005.
