North Carolina is expected to start quarterback Jacolby Criswell in Saturday's game against James Madison, CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz reports. Criswell is the third player to start at under center for the Tar Heels already this season, as they deal with the wake of former Texas A&M transfer Max Johnson's season-ending injury.
This will be Criswell's second career start for the Tar Heels, though he hasn't been first off the bench since a win against Wofford in 2021 -- his true sophomore season.
Former three-star quarterback Conner Harrell led the offense in wins against Charlotte and NC Central. Though North Carolina won those two contests by an average of 26.5 points, Harrell struggled to consistently move the offense. He threw an interception against the 49ers and then missed on four of his first six passes against NC Central.
The 6-foot-1 and 230-pound Criswell came in for North Carolina's third drive against the Eagles and immediately led three consecutive scoring drives, two of which ended in touchdowns. Criswell completed 14 of his 23 pass attempts for 161 yards and one touchdown in the 45-10 win. He also rushed for 16 yards on three carries.
Criswell's journey comes full circle
Criswell has had one of the more unique transfer portal journeys, emblematic of the modern era of college football. He initially signed with North Carolina in 2020 as a four-star prospect out of Morrilton, Arkansas. Criswell spent the first few years of his career backing up the likes of Sam Howell and Drake Maye, earning most of his playing time in clean-up duty against overmatched opponents.
Even with his lone start in the 2021 season, Criswell only attempted 31 passes through his first three seasons with the Tar Heels. So he entered the transfer portal in 2022 and returned closer to home by enrolling at Arkansas, where he served as KJ Jefferson's primary backup with the hope that the starting job would be his when Jefferson left campus.
While Jefferson did transfer to UCF following a lackluster 2023 season, the Razorbacks -- spearheaded by new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino -- replaced him with another transfer in former Boise State starter Taylen Green. Criswell battled Green in spring practice, but once it became clear Green was pulling ahead, Criswell re-entered the transfer portal and committed to North Carolina in April.
Without going through spring practice with the Tar Heels, Criswell fell behind Johnson and Harrell in the quarterback competition during fall camp and entered the season No. 3 on the depth chart. But Johnson's injury and Harrell's struggles have opened the door for the fifth-year senior to finally pounce on a full-time starting job.
What to expect from Criswell
Criswell is a veteran in terms of service years, but he has only played 267 snaps at the collegiate level and he's rarely has had the opportunity to showcase his talent against high-level competition. Against NC Central, he did look poised and in command of the offense, but he also had one throw that likely should have been intercepted.
North Carolina's coaching staff will want to see how he handles an entire gameday operation and how he works within the structure of the offense. James Madison isn't a complete pushover, but the Dukes are facing a potential down year after losing coach Curt Cignetti to Indiana and a majority of their key players to the transfer portal.
Criswell can also impact the game with his legs. Though he's not an elite runner, he had more rushing attempts (20) than completions (18) through his first three years at North Carolina. He turned those carries into a respectable 133 yards and one touchdown, rushing for almost 6.7 yards per touch.