Drake Maye details what UNC's offense learned in App State win

North Carolina‘s Week 2 win was a nail-biter, defeating Appalachian State at home 40-34 in double overtime representing another classic between the two schools.

In a win or a loss, each game can be looked at as a learning experience, especially early in the season. And as the Tar Heels head into their Week 3 matchup versus Minnesota, star quarterback Drake Maye revealed what he and the entire offense learned from their latest matchup with the Mountaineers.

“I think from App State some things that we learned is just how different dynamics throughout the game, how much of different parts of the offense that we need,” Maye said. “At one point we’re feeding Omarion [Hampton] play after play, he’s running for 250 [yards], and the next time we’re hitting a shot to JJ [Jones] for 75 yards, and then the next drive we’re in a two-minute drill trying to win it.”

There’s no question that the Tar Heels offense needed to use their entire bag of tricks versus App State’s defense, as they were held to just 10 points in the first half as they entered the locker room tied with the Mountaineers.

From that point forward Maye and North Carolina’s offense were tested in a multitude of ways. The Tar Heels had to rely on the run game often, as Maye was limited to just 208 yards passing and zero touchdown passes on the day for just the third time in his career as a starter. But they were still able to generate offense based on staying sharp throughout the week at practice.

“There’s so many different aspects of the offense that you work on throughout the week. Short yardage, two times we got stopped. How important working that stuff throughout the week in practice and against our defense and just trying to have those things turn out, and meaningful in the game,” Maye explained.

Saturday will likely be another hard-fought battle for North Carolina as they round out their trio of tough non-conference games to start the season. And hopefully, their offense can continue leaning on their training and ability to be multiple as they look to extend their record to 3-0 this weekend.

“Those different aspects and dynamics, it’s not all about the first and 10 play, and the second and seven call,” Maye said. “It’s about that one-minute drill, it’s about playing shots and hitting shots.”