Drake Maye addresses his future at UNC after ACC Championship Game loss

The ACC Championship did not go Drake Maye and North Carolina’s way. The Tar Heels won the Coastal Division with a 9-3 record before Clemson ran them over 39-10 in Charlotte on Saturday night. With Maye’s season essentially over beyond a bowl game for UNC, questions had circled if the young, breakout star would remain in Chapel Hill moving forward or potentially look for greener pastures. However, Maye has already emphatically shut that idea down.

During media after the ACC Championship, Maye says he fully plans to return to North Carolina next season. As a native of the state, it has been a dream come true for him to be a Tar Heel. Now, after the love they showed him this season, he has no intention of abandoning them now.

“I’m a Carolina kid. It means something wearing that Carolina blue. That’s my intention,” said Maye. “I love this place and these fans have been great. It’s been a heck of a season (and) first year for me. I couldn’t have asked for more. I wish this game would’ve gone a little different at the end here. But thanks to all the fans, players, and coaches.”

Maye finished third in the nation with 4,115 yards on an efficient 67.2% completion rate. He also finished Top-5 in the country with 35 touchdowns and only seven interceptions. That’s incredibly impressive for a redshirt freshman to take the reins and lead his team to a conference title berth.

There will undoubtedly be teams who reach out to gauge Maye’s interest. Still, even in the alluring age of the transfer portal and NIL, Maye says he’d almost feel deceitful if he were to entertain offers like that after everything that’s been given to him in Chapel Hill this season.

“I haven’t had anybody reach out. Don’t know if I will,” Maye said. “I won’t really accept personal contact…I just think that’s bad for the way Carolina has treated me and how they’ve trusted me as a redshirt freshman quarterback. I’ll handle that one when that bridge comes.”

That’s music to the ears of the North Carolina faithful as it appears they’ll have one of the sport’s best signal callers back. It’s massive news for the future of the program and, considering his aspirations to play in the Carolina blue, it’s a continuation for Maye to keep living his dream.