North Carolina’s quarterback situation is already under the microscope, and Billy Edwards Jr. has only two more weeks to make his case.
The Tar Heels are 2-1 entering Week 5 against Notre Dame, but their lone loss - the Week 3 defeat to Clemson - has largely fallen on Edwards Jr. That scrutiny got sharper this week when ESPN’s Bill Connelly ranked all 68 Power Four quarterbacks and slotted Edwards Jr. near the bottom of the list.
That placement lines up with the numbers so far. When North Carolina brought in the former Wisconsin quarterback through the transfer portal, the idea was simple: bring in a veteran who could steady the position. Instead, Edwards Jr. has thrown for 611 yards, three touchdowns and one interception while completing 56.4 percent of his passes.
At 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, the sixth-year quarterback has not yet given the Tar Heels the lift they were hoping for. Being viewed as the sixth-worst quarterback among Power Four starters is not exactly a flattering assessment, but it does reflect how Edwards Jr. is currently being seen around the sport.
Still, Saturday’s game against No. 3 Notre Dame probably won’t be the moment that decides his future.
That’s a brutal matchup, and it would be unfair to treat a loss to a top-three team as the tipping point. The more revealing test may come in Week 6 at Pittsburgh, where Edwards Jr. could find himself in a true make-or-break spot if the struggles continue.
For now, Saturday is another checkpoint, not the finish line. Edwards Jr. doesn’t need to be spectacular, but he does need to look competent enough to keep Bill Belichick confident in him as North Carolina’s starter.
In Other News...
UNC Freshman With A Familiar Name Faces A Tough Backcourt Climb
Malloy Smith arrives in Chapel Hill with a familiar name and a profile that fits the long view North Carolina has to take with some freshmen. The 6-foot-5 combo guard is expected to spend his first season focused on development and improvement, learning the system and sharpening his game in practice while the Tar Heels sort through a crowded backcourt.
There may not be an obvious path to major minutes right away, but that does not make his season any less important. For a player with his size and versatility, the early test is whether he can use those reps behind the scenes to make himself hard to leave off the floor later, especially if the competition for guard minutes stays tight all year. [Read more 🡒]
North Carolina Fans Have A Tough New Bill Belichick Debate
North Carolinas football season has already put plenty of pressure on the program, and the road ahead only adds to it with games against Notre Dame and Miami looming. The Tar Heels brought in Bill Belichick with the hope of lifting the ceiling in Chapel Hill, but the early results have left some fans restless, especially with the team struggling and an investigation still hanging over the program without published findings.
Now there is a fresh layer to the conversation. According to The Athletic, North Carolina also looked at Jon Sumrall when the coaching job opened, and his current rise has only sharpened the debate around what might have been. With Florida unbeaten and sitting in the top 10, Sumralls name is becoming harder to ignore for anyone in Chapel Hill already wondering whether the Tar Heels made the right call. [Read more 🡒]
Michael Malone Just Sparked A Big UNC Roster-Building Debate
Villanova coach Kevin Willards recent stance on roster construction has only sharpened the contrast with what Michael Malone is doing in Chapel Hill. Willard said he does not plan to recruit high school players for the 2027-28 season because he already has six players who could be eligible for a fifth year, a sign of how quickly some programs are leaning into continuity and veteran retention as the college game keeps changing.
Malone, by contrast, is still actively chasing top high school talent, keeping North Carolina in the mix for the traditional one-and-done pipeline even as more coaches hedge toward older rosters. It is a debate with real stakes for the Tar Heels, since the high-school-heavy approach can bring upside and long-term ceiling, but it also asks programs to balance development, roster fit and the risk of missing on younger recruits in a market where experienced players are increasingly valuable. [Read more 🡒]