Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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36 SEPT. 24, 2022 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED GAME PREVIEW: NORTH CAROLINA Maye completed 72 of 97 throws (74.2 percent) for 930 yards with 11 touch- downs and 1 interception in the first three starts of his career. He didn't en- ter the 2022 season with the acclaim of Ohio State Buckeyes Heisman Trophy candidate CJ Stroud, but he's quickly put himself up there in the conversation of best arm talent Notre Dame will face in any game this year. "I'm just trying to embrace it and en- joy it," Maye said. "Talking to the media, some hate it. But I think it's a good thing. They're talking to you because (you're performing). But at the same time, it's about trying to stay humble and focus- ing on your craft. They love you when you're doing good, but they'll hate you real quick when things go south." SPREADING IT AROUND Stroud dissected the Notre Dame de- fense and was a major reason the Buck- eyes beat the Irish in Week 1. Maye, with the support of a home crowd, could write his own similar story. He may have to do it without the team's top skill player. Wide receiver Josh Downs did not play against Appalachian State or Geor- gia State. He was held out with a knee injury suffered in Week 1. Downs caught 10 passes for 142 yards against Notre Dame last year. He's a key piece in what the Heels do offensively. So is freshman running back Omarion Hampton, who has rushed 38 times for 228 yards and 5 touchdowns in the first three games of his career. "I'm really just trying to get a feel for it and get better every week," Hampton said. "I'm trying to take the process from high school to college and get used to it here." North Carolina doesn't have the "can't get wide receivers involved" problem that has plagued Notre Dame, either. In- cluding Downs, seven different Tar Heels caught 7 or more passes in the first three games. Through Notre Dame's first two games, only two players had reached that mark — tight end Michael Mayer (13) and wide receiver Lorenzo Styles (8). "I think the biggest benefit is not feel- ing forced to feed one guy," Maye said of UNC's offense. "All the guys are cheering for each other. Nobody is on the sideline mad that they're not getting the ball." Notre Dame's skill players aren't get- ting the ball, period. Freshman running back Omarion Howard is the Tar Heels' leading rusher with 228 yards and 5 touch- downs through three games. PHOTO COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA ATHLETICS "It's about trying to stay humble and focusing on your craft. They love you when you're doing good, but they'll hate you real quick when things go south." UNC QUARTERBACK DRAKE MAYE