North Carolina’s first scrimmage of camp may have said as much about the Tar Heels’ quarterback room as the official depth chart did.
Billy Edwards Jr. has already been named the starter, and the Wisconsin transfer is set to open the season against TCU in Dublin, Ireland. That decision came after the coaching staff evaluated how Edwards Jr. and Miles O'Neill handled training camp and the team’s opening scrimmage, and according to Heel Report’s Andrew Jones, the competition was far tighter than many expected.
Entering camp, Edwards Jr. looked like the clear favorite. By the end of the scrimmage, though, O'Neill had apparently pushed the race to a point where he seemed to have the inside track at one stage. Both quarterbacks reportedly took snaps with the starting offense and both were effective against North Carolina’s defense.
That’s the encouraging read for the Tar Heels: there are at least two quarterbacks on the roster who look capable of running the offense without a major drop-off. If Edwards Jr. were to miss time or if the staff ever had to pivot, O'Neill has already shown he can keep things moving.
But there’s another way to view it, and it’s less comforting. A quarterback battle that stays this close can also suggest nobody has truly separated from the pack. The old line about having two quarterbacks meaning you have none has echoed through the offseason for a reason, and North Carolina may be living somewhere near that reality even after naming a starter.
The final call appears to have leaned heavily on Edwards Jr.’s experience. Whether that experience turns into winning football remains to be seen, and even with the decision made, there’s still a sense that the staff picked the veteran rather than someone who clearly ran away with the job.
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For a player looking to expand his role, those kinds of comments matter because they fit the broader tone coming out of Chapel Hill. McGill described a locker room that is tight and focused, with players buying into the standard the staff is setting. The Tar Heels still have to show it on game day, but McGills offseason message was clear: he wants a bigger piece of the offense, and he believes he is ready for the chance. [Read more 🡒]