UNC’s quarterback race took a sharp turn Monday, and the name at the top wasn’t the one generating the loudest chatter.
Bill Belichick has named Wisconsin transfer Billy Edwards Jr. the Tar Heels’ starter for the season opener against TCU on August 29 in Ireland, according to Pete Thamel of ESPN. Edwards beat out Miles O’Neill in what Thamel described as a close battle.
Sources: North Carolina has named veteran transfer Billy Edwards Jr. the team’s starter for the opener, and he’ll debut for the Tar Heels against TCU in Ireland. Edwards won a close battle with Miles O’Neill, a Texas A&M transfer who has familiarity with new OC Bobby Petrino. pic.twitter.com/r0hLBVzgoJ
- Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) August 18, 2026
The decision comes after weeks of buzz around O’Neill, whose familiarity with offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino’s system made him a popular pick in Chapel Hill. But Edwards always looked like the safest bet to get the first crack at the job. He brought the most experience to the room and arrived with the expectation that he could stabilize an offense that dealt with a rough quarterback situation last season.
Edwards showed what he can do at Maryland in 2024, throwing for 2,881 yards and 15 touchdowns as the Terrapins’ starter. He then transferred to Wisconsin and won the starting job there, only for a non-contact injury in the opener to cut that run short.
Now healthy again, Edwards gets his chance to reset and prove he can deliver the kind of production UNC is banking on. The Tar Heels certainly need it.
That said, naming him the starter for Week 1 doesn’t close the door on anyone else. O’Neill could still see the field this season, and true freshman Travis Burgess may also get a shot. The quarterback picture can change fast, and UNC appears prepared to keep options open if the offense needs a different look.
For now, though, the big question has been answered. With kickoff still about a week and a half away, UNC can shift fully into TCU prep knowing Edwards will be the one under center in Ireland.
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