North Carolina’s kicking situation took another turn on Friday, and for the moment, Rece Verhoff is out of the picture.
Just 16 days after UNC put Verhoff back on the roster following a class action temporary injunction in Colorado that granted the class of 2022 players a fifth year of eligibility, the Tenth Circuit court approved the NCAA’s stay request. That ruling makes Verhoff currently ineligible.
The timing leaves the Tar Heels in a gray area with their season opener against TCU in Dublin, Ireland, only eight days away. It’s still unclear whether Verhoff will pursue relief in another state or whether he’ll be cleared in time to suit up for UNC.
Coach Bill Belichick addressed the uncertainty just before the ruling came down.
"We'll see how the whole thing with Rece plays out, whether he actually is in fact able to participate or not," Belichick said minutes before the overruling was announced. "It appears now that there's certainly a good chance of that, but it hasn't been resolved definitely. Until it is, we really have to have a contingency plan for whatever the resolution is on that."
UNC did not comment on Friday’s decision.
The Tar Heels have options if Verhoff remains unavailable. They brought in transfer kicker Aeron Burrell from LSU this offseason, and he has been battling Verhoff over the last few weeks. They also have David Green, a true freshman from High Point, North Carolina.
Verhoff arrived at UNC in 2025 after three seasons at Marshall, and he was the team’s top scorer last year with 77 points. He converted 19 of 23 field goals for an 82.6 percent clip, including perfect marks from 20-29 yards and a strong showing from 40-49 yards. He also went 3-for-4 from 30-39 yards and 1-for-3 from 50-plus yards.
His season included a 57-yard kick against Wake Forest, which set the UNC record for the longest field goal in program history. Verhoff was also named Honorable Mention All-ACC in 2025.
He took part in UNC’s Pro Day in March, where he met with NFL personnel, after declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft. Verhoff also told TarHeel247 that he tried out for the , but it didn’t lead to a signing.
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