Mack Brown on if Duke is Drake Maye's final home game: 'I think it's absolute'

The North Carolina Tar Heels and star quarterback Drake Maye are preparing for their final home game of the 2023 season against the school’s biggest rival, Duke, in Week 11. With this being the final home game for the Tar Heels, it is also senior night and the final farewell for the leaving players.

Nevertheless, there is one player who is not a senior who could possibly participate in Saturday’s festivities in Maye.

Maye has the option to declare for the 2024 NFL Draft after this season if he chooses. So Saturday’s senior night against the Blue Devils, if he declares, will be his last time taking the field at Kenan Memorial Stadium in a North Carolina Tar Heels jersey. And with that being the case, does North Carolina head coach Mack Brown intend on having his star participate in the ceremony and festivities?

“I love Drake. I love him like a son,” said Brown. “I’ve got such respect and appreciation for that young guy. So, we will ask him if he wants to. It’s not my place to tell him to. He’s very emotional, and he just wants to win. You’ve all seen him; he’s so humble that he doesn’t want attention brought to himself. I think it would be cool for him to walk out there for everybody to say thank you.”

As Brown continued, the North Carolina head coach revealed whether or not he believed Maye would return to the program for one last season. He also shared what advice he would give Maye on the topic and revealed what he said to one of his former star quarterbacks who found themselves in a similar position some years ago.

“I think it’s absolute. It would be mine, very honestly. He’s gonna be a first-round choice. He’s gonna make a lot of money. Is it best for me if he stays? Absolutely. But that’s not who we are. I mean, you can’t sit here and say, ‘I want him to be treated like my son.’ If my son came in and asked me, I would say go. Vince Young came in and asked me, ‘I’m going to make $20 million if I leave. What do you think?’ I said that I would be out of here, man. Go,” said Brown.