North Carolina’s Week 4 bye arrives at a useful moment, but it also opens the door to a hard question the Tar Heels may have to answer soon: is Billy Edwards Jr. still the right quarterback?
The pressure around the position has sharpened quickly after last weekend’s loss to Clemson. UNC opened the year with two wins, but the margin for error has tightened, and with Notre Dame looming after the bye, the Tar Heels could be staring at a very different quarterback conversation if Edwards Jr. doesn’t steady things.
So far, Edwards Jr. has been exactly what the scouting report suggested - a quarterback who can manage a game, but not one who has consistently lifted it. Outside of the East Tennessee State game, when the Wisconsin transfer went 15-of-20 for 244 yards and two touchdowns, his play has bounced around too much from series to series.
Against Clemson and TCU, the numbers tell the story: 29 completions on 58 attempts for 367 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He got away with some of those issues against TCU, but Clemson exposed them, and that performance helped decide the game for the Tar Heels.
It might feel premature to bench Edwards Jr. based on what happens against Notre Dame, but another shaky outing would push the discussion closer to Miles O’Neill. And once a coaching staff decides it has to change quarterbacks, that decision is usually hard to reverse.
That’s what makes this so tricky for UNC. O’Neill may well be the better option. The Texas A&M transfer was in the mix during fall camp before the staff settled on Edwards Jr., and the veteran has not really turned that choice into steady play on the field.
But if O’Neill does get the job, the staff is essentially committing to the switch. If he struggles, the timing makes it messy.
By then, the season would already be well underway, giving him a long stretch to prove himself. And if his leash is short, going back to Edwards Jr. could be just as damaging if his confidence has already taken a hit.
That leaves North Carolina needing to be careful and thorough if this situation comes to a head. And if the Tar Heels do keep digging deeper into the quarterback depth chart, Travis Burgess is not the next logical answer. If Burgess ever takes the field this season, it would mean UNC has been knocked out of bowl contention, Belichick has been fired, and the program is simply trying to find out what it has in a possible future quarterback.
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Tar Heels Open ACC Play With A Road Win Fans Will Notice
Safi Hampton gave Carolina the balanced effort it needed to start ACC play on the right foot, finishing with 16 kills and 13 digs as the No. 24 Tar Heels beat NC State 3-1 in Raleigh. It was Hamptons first double-double of the season, and it came in a match where Carolina also found plenty of support at the net.
The Tar Heels set a season high with 15 blocks, a sign that their front line was dictating stretches of the night and making NC State work for nearly every point. Jackie Taylor and Bridget Malone were among the players who helped turn that into a road win Carolina will want to build on as the league schedule starts to tighten. [Read more 🡒]
Michael Malone May Have Revealed Isaiah Denis UNC Role
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The point-guard work matters because it hints at a larger backcourt role, one that could let Denis operate as a versatile perimeter threat rather than a one-position option. If the comparison to Hyland is any indication, North Carolina may be preparing to lean on Denis for shot-making, pace and creativity as he gets healthier and settles in. The exact shape of that role is still unfolding, but the early usage suggests the Tar Heels have a clear plan in mind. [Read more 🡒]
Leaky Black Has Another Shot To Earn The NBA Chance UNC Wanted
Leaky Black is getting another NBA look, this time with the Sacramento Kings after signing a training camp deal. The former UNC standout spent part of last season with the Washington Wizards, appearing in 15 games before being released in July, and now gets a fresh chance to show the kind of value that has followed him through the pro ranks.
Black has already logged experience in both the NBA and G League, and his calling card remains his defensive versatility. For a player whose game has long been built around doing the little things, camp is another opportunity to prove he belongs in an NBA roster spot and perhaps finally turn that potential into something more permanent. [Read more 🡒]