Special Sam: Can Tennessee land the star gunslinger from Sun Valley?

CHARLOTTE — Sam Howell could pass as Baker Mayfield’s doppelgänger.

The Sun Valley (N.C.) quarterback shares a strong resemblance with the former Oklahoma star, and he plays a lot like him, too.

Howell’s coach Tad Baucom has spent 37 years on the gridiron developing high school players, and he’s never had a quarterback like Sam.

“The kid is different,” Baucom said.

“I’ve been blessed to have two guys in the pros, both running backs (Richard Huntley and Terry Witherspoon), and Sam has that same it factor. I’ve had a quarterback who’s gone on to be a Navy Seal, but Sam just has that it factor. He’s a game-changer.”

Howell, who is the nation’s No. 5 overall quarterback prospect, has a 93 mph fastball and runs like a battering fullback. He’s been primed for stardom since middle school, with Baucom first learning about Howell’s prodigal talent four years ago.

When the former Monroe (N.C.) head coach took over at Sun Valley, he heard about an 8th grader who already had facial hair and could throw the ball more than 60 yards. After coaching games on Friday nights, Baucom would wake up early on Saturday mornings and go watch his future quarterback play.

“I was not shocked,” Baucom said. “The same characteristics Sam has today, leadership, poise, I saw those characteristics in the 8th grade, honestly. Physique-wise he stood out, but really it was his leadership. He leads by example. We do fundraisers and pregame meals. The same thing everybody else does, but Sam is always fighting to be the last one in line to eat.

“He gets it.”

Howell is 6-foot-1, 215 pounds and full of quiet moxie. Like Mayfield, he’s an electric playmaker who can hurt you with his arm or his feet. He’s not “a duel-threat” in the traditional sense, but Baucom said Howell’s instincts and awareness are so good that he simply knows when to let it fly versus just taking off to make a play.

“He’s a master at RPOs,” Baucom said. “On 4th-and-1, 4th-and-2s, we just keep the ball in his hands. He see the field really well. … The clock in his head is always on.”

In 2017, the 4-star gunslinger with offers from nearly every school in the country threw for more than 3,000 yards and 36 touchdowns, adding 1,500 yards and 24 scores on the ground. He led Sun Valley to an 11-4 record and a loss in the state semifinals — the team's best finish in school history. Howell’s dad, Duke, is a former standout wrestler at Sun Valley and Appalachian State and is now Sam's offensive coordinator in high school, a unique father-son connection that has keyed Howell’s development, per Baucom.

Father knows best, so Duke Howell hasn't shied away from challenging Sam with tough love, and in turn, Howell has taken the hard coaching for improvement in stride.

“Duke can get a little nuts sometimes,” Baucom said, chuckling.

“PUT SAM ON THE PHONE! So when Sam gets on the headset, you wouldn’t know whether (Duke) was correcting him on not seeing his check downs or complementing him on a 60-yard touchdown pass from watching Sam’s face. That’s another compliment. Sam is just stone cold. He just listens and says, ‘Alright. Ok.’ Same face.

“Sam would be a great poker player if he ever wanted to play.”

This spring, Sam has taken that same quiet confidence into his recruiting process. He’s hosted coaches from nearly every major program this side of the Mississippi, and he’s taken visits to Tennessee, Clemson, North Carolina and West Virginia. Howell has trips upcoming to Ohio State, Florida State and possibly UF, too.

“We’ve had some heavy-hitters,” Baucom said.

“(Jim) Harbaugh. Dabo (Swinney). Two black Escalades roll up and it’s Urban Meyer. (Justin) Fuentes. (Larry) Fedora wanted to land the helicopter here but the county wouldn’t let him, so on the last day of spring visits he brought the whole (UNC) offensive staff to the weight room.”

Tennessee’s offensive coordinator Tyson Helton went and saw Howell at Sun Valley in January, too, and Jeremy Pruitt & Co., have quickly made Howell feel wanted in their 2019 class. Pruitt called Howell hours before coaching in the National Championship Game.

“The first time I talked to coach Helton was right after they got hired and he told me that he knew of me but didn’t think he could get me across the country at USC,” Howell said. “He said when he got hired he had a chance now and said I have a home at Tennessee if I want it.”

Have the Vols made him a priority?

“I would definitely say that.”

During Howell's visit to Tennessee last month, Howell spent a long time with Helton, watching film of USC, Colorado State and Western Kentucky. Helton compared Howell’s skill-set to former USC quarterback Sam Darnold.

“I like Tennessee a lot,” Howell said.

“It’s a nice college town. I really like their new coaching staff. I think coach Pruitt is going to have that program on the rise here soon.”

Howell is a facing a tough decision in the near future, as the 4-star quarterback plans to take a few final visits before narrowing his list and then picking a school. Tennessee’s depth chart is definitely appealing, and the Vols are a major contender whenever Howell opts to make a decision.

Clemson, Florida State and Ohio State have all come on strong, too, with Swinney delivering a message that Howell has the talent and competitiveness to win a job at any school.

“Dabo told him, ‘You’re going to play in the NFL. What you’re seeing here with our two 5-stars, Ohio State is going to have all that. Florida is going to have all that, Tennessee, you just have to decide what’s your best fit,” Baucom said.

Howell will graduate from Sun Valley in December and then enroll early at his school of choice. This time next year, he plans on battling for a starting spot wherever he ends up.

“He’s going to enroll and play in spring ball the with mindset to start,” Baucom said. “He doesn’t want to redshirt. He wants to play. That’s the perfect scenario, but who knows how that’s going to play out, but he’s determined. He’s going to fight for it.”