North Carolina’s 2026 training camp opens tomorrow, and the Tar Heels are stepping into the start of the 2026-27 college football season with more than a few things worth watching.
The week was already going to draw plenty of attention, but it took an immediate turn when North Carolina announced that general manager Michael Lombardi had been placed on paid administrative leave, effective immediately. The program has faced heavy scrutiny since the beginning of the Bill Belichick era, and this latest development only adds another layer to the pressure surrounding the team.
Even with that backdrop, camp is about to begin, and the biggest question remains the same one that has hovered over the offseason: who takes the first snap in Week 1? Until that answer is settled, it’s hard to move on from the quarterback battle, because this is the most important position in sports and North Carolina still does not have a locked-in starter.
Billy Edwards Jr., Travis Burgess, Miles O'Neill, and Au'Tori Newkirk are all in the mix, with the Wisconsin transfer viewed as the favorite to open the season under center. That competition is the top thing to monitor as camp gets rolling, especially for a fan base hoping to see a competitive team in 2026. The coaching staff has to get that decision right.
Belichick also made major changes on the offensive staff, including the firing of former offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens, who was inherited from the previous regime, and the addition of Petrino in his place. The move has drawn criticism, but the former Arkansas head coach is expected to be a clear upgrade over Kitchens.
What happens next in camp will tell a lot about how Petrino plans to use the roster. He is expected to lean more heavily on pre-snap motion, a wrinkle that should help create better leverage for the outside weapons. It should also give players chances to line up in different spots, which would make the offense less predictable and open up more ways for plays to develop.
The other area worth watching is a linebacker group that was wiped out this offseason and rebuilt through the transfer portal. Seelmann and McDonald were about as good a result as North Carolina could have hoped for, but that doesn’t mean the unit will click instantly.
That kind of chemistry takes time, and camp is where it has to start coming together.
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For a program that has been eager to fold Keita into the mix, the lost time matters mostly because he missed offseason workouts and the early chemistry-building that comes with them. Even so, the expectation around the staff is that he will still be ready to contribute once he arrives, giving UNC another high-end piece to work with as the season approaches. [Read more 🡒]