Drake Maye reveals the key to UNC's one-minute offense

North Carolina has been an interesting team in 2022. Quietly, the Tar Heels have gone 6-1. This has largely been on the back of Drake Maye, a redshirt freshman quarterback who has taken the ACC by storm.

While speaking to the media following North Carolina’s win over Duke, Drake Maye was asked about the team’s one-minute offense.

“I think the big thing is just keeping in mind not getting it all at once,” Drake Maye said. “You know, I think we hit some check-downs that were huge.”

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“One in the first–at the end of the half–hit Caleb [Hood] on a little check-down. Had a couple check-downs. And Also, doing what I can when they’re dropping eight and bringing a three-man rush to do what I can on the ground, and get what I can and get out of bounds.”

At the same time, as Drake Maye pointed out, there is still plenty of room to grow and improve in these one-minute situations. In particular, Maye pointed to his own awareness of the situation.

“I had some plays–I took two sacks on that last drive, maybe the second one I got back to the line of scrimmage, but just throw it away. We only got one time out left and we had to burn it. So, keep it in mind, but those in-game moments, they help you down the road, and I think the previous ones in the past helped us here tonight.”

Drake Maye was a four-star recruit in the Class of 2021. Among the quarterbacks in the On3 Impact 300, he’s second. He also has +4000 odds to win the Heisman Trophy.

Drake Maye on his mindset before the game-winning drive against Duke

Drake Maye led North Carolina on a game-winning drive against rival Duke. It’s no small task to do that as a young player, and it requires the right mindset to do so. It’s a mindset that Maye explained.

“I’m glad defense gave it a shot. Great quarterbacks are measured by drives like that at the end. I knew after that missed field goal that we had a good shot. I think we made some huge plays on that drive. Just trusting my my guys up front and trust the guys around me. Josh [Downs] had a huge fourth down play. It was like he was getting double covered and he ended up beating him outside. And it was just trusting people around me. We work at one-minute-drills every day in practice and I think we had a big one at the end of the first half as well,” Drake Maye said.

“Still kind of in shock a little bit. But, you know, first rivalry game against Duke at their place. I thought they had the lights going. It was a good atmosphere. They fought hard and glad to come over on top. A little nervous, but at the same time, ultimate confidence in my guys. They’re pumping me up after that second fumble. It’s just unfortunate. It looked like a close call. But just to get back out there and get the guys going and just make big plays. So that’s what football is. Making big plays with the big time players in big time moments.”