Bryce Baker’s path has already taken a sharp turn, and the latest stop in Blacksburg may be pointing him toward a backup job at Virginia Tech.
Baker’s rise to this point started with plenty of buzz. The former four-star recruit passed on Penn State and chose North Carolina out of the class of 2025, a decision that looked, to some, like a much-needed boost for Mack Brown after UNC’s 2024 season went sideways once Drake Maye was gone.
Then came the coaching change. When Bill Belichick took over on Dec. 11, 2024, he immediately made Baker a target, and Baker became Belichick’s first signee in Chapel Hill. A few days later, the two were introduced together at halftime of a basketball game in the Smith Center.
But the storyline didn’t stay on that track for long. Baker redshirted and never got into a game as a freshman, even though North Carolina had issues at quarterback last season. This offseason, the Tar Heels added two transfer quarterbacks and four-star Travis Burgess, and Baker hit the portal before landing at Virginia Tech.
That move also put him back in orbit with James Franklin, who had come close to landing Baker at Penn State two years earlier.
The big question now is how Baker has looked since arriving in Blacksburg. Has the transfer been the right call?
And is North Carolina okay at quarterback without the player who was once expected to be part of its future? A Hokies insider offered the read from camp.
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Michael Malone Revealed What Convinced Him To Take Over At UNC
Michael Malones arrival at North Carolina already stood out as a break from the programs usual way of doing business, with the Tar Heels turning outside the familiar family tree for their next mens basketball coach. What has made the hiring even more notable is the way Malone has begun to frame his decision, crediting Hall of Famer Roy Williams as a major influence in getting him comfortable with the move after he had first been reluctant to take it.
Now the attention shifts from why he said yes to what comes next. Malone has already put together a strong transfer portal class and has made it clear that he still sees UNC as a place that has to win on the high school trail, too, blending roster-building in the modern game with the programs traditional recruiting reach. For Tar Heel fans, the next step is seeing how that approach translates once the pressure of a new season starts to build. [Read more 🡒]
Former UNC Big Man Now Gives NC State A Painful Twist
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Lubin started all 34 games for NC State last season and averaged 13.6 points and 7.1 rebounds, production the Tar Heels will notice right away if he ends up in the same matchup. North Carolina, meanwhile, has reshaped its roster with recruits Drake Powell and Ian Jackson, plus returning guards Elliot Cadeau and RJ Davis, while the frontcourt has turned over with Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar in the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Bill Belichick Faces A UNC Concern Right Before The TCU Opener
North Carolinas preparation for its season opener against TCU in Dublin, Ireland has been shaped by two notable staff absences during training camp. Bill Belichick has already said others have stepped up to help bridge the gap, but the Tar Heels have still had to keep moving through camp while adjusting to a different day-to-day rhythm than the one they expected when August began.
The timing adds an extra layer of uncertainty for a program trying to get organized before the first game of the year. With the opener closing in, the focus now is on how smoothly the Tar Heels can carry the work of camp into game week, even as parts of the staff structure remain in flux. [Read more 🡒]