A New Chapter for the Tar Heels
North Carolina has named Billy Edwards Jr. as the starter for the 2026 season, a decision that caps a decisive training‑camp showdown.
Edwards arrives in Chapel Hill after a standout year at Wisconsin, where he amassed 2,881 passing yards and 15 touchdowns in 2024, giving the coaching staff a clear edge over Texas A&M’s Miles O’Neill and the other contenders.
The competition was fierce; Edwards edged out Miles O’Neill, while Au’Tori Newkirk and Travis Burgess were also in the mix, but the former Wisconsin signal‑caller’s experience and arm strength convinced Bill Belichick’s staff.
Ireland Awaits
Next month the Tar Heels will travel to Dublin to face TCU in what will be the team’s first game ever played on Irish soil, a milestone that underscores the program’s growing ambition.
It will also be the second season under head coach Bill Belichick, who inherited a 2025 roster that struggled to find consistency, and the coaching staff hopes the Ireland experience will spark a turnaround.
With the new starter at the helm and a schedule that includes a historic overseas appearance, North Carolina’s fans are eager to see whether the program can translate its offseason upgrades into tangible wins.