Heisman Trophy Candidate Drake Maye Reveals Reasoning For Staying With Tar Heels

North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye revealed his reasoning for staying behind with the Tar Heels on Wednesday.

“Carolina blue means a lot to me,” Drake Maye said, via Pro Football Focus’s Mitch Kaiser. “It means something playing for my home state.”

Rumors of a potential transfer to powerhouses came with all of Maye’s success, but he plans to stick around, wrote Kaiser.

“I really didn’t have any intentions ever to leave,” Maye said. “I wanted to play here, and this is where I want to end up graduating.”

A former 5-star prospect out of Charlotte, N.C., Maye has spent two seasons and played in 18 games for North Carolina during his college career. He racked up 4,321 passing yards and 38 passing touchdowns during his second season with the Tar Heels, helping guide the team to a 9-5 overall record and a 6-2 record against conference opponents. He earned ACC Player of the Year and ACC Offensive Player of the Year in 2022, according to the team’s website.

Drake Maye threw for 206 yards and three touchdowns when North Carolina fell in a 28-27 loss to the Oregon Ducks in the Holiday Bowl, matching the 205 yards and two touchdowns thrown by Oregon quarterback Bo Nix. Receiver Kobe Paysour led the Tar Heels with 98 receiving yards and one touchdown on seven receptions, while North Carolina running back Elijah Green rushed for 50 yards on 17 carries.

“Very disappointed that we didn’t win, but we’ve got to make a play here or there, and they’re a great football team,” said North Carolina coach Mack Brown, via the Associated Press. “Nobody gave us a chance in the game and we had a chance with one second left.

“That’s all we could ask for in this situation.”

Drake Maye announced his decision to stay with the Tar Heels in a December tweet.

“Could never leave this place, I’m a Tar Heel,” he wrote.