North Carolina spent the offseason trying to fix the mess up front, and Andrew Threatt is one of the pieces they brought in to do it.
The Charleston Southern transfer said after Friday’s practice that he’s adjusting to the ACC, while also giving the Tar Heels something they badly lacked last season: lineup flexibility. Threatt has worked at both right tackle and left guard, and that kind of versatility gives the coaching staff options as it reshapes an offensive line that was a major problem in a 4-8 season.
At 6-foot-3 and 315 pounds, Threatt brings more than size. He’s already shown he can handle multiple spots along the line, which matters for a North Carolina team that spent much of last year patching together a unit hit hard by injuries. By the end of the season, the Tar Heels were forced into a makeshift look far too often, and that instability showed.
The addition of several transfer linemen this offseason underscores how urgent the rebuild was. Threatt is expected to be one of the better offensive linemen on the roster, and his presence should help the staff mix and match as needed.
That flexibility also fits with what newly hired offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino wants to build. Petrino has stressed the need for a steady rushing attack, and that starts with the front five doing its job. In Chapel Hill, the offensive line may end up being the most important unit on the field if North Carolina is going to find its footing this season.
In Other News...
Michael Malones First UNC Roster Is Already Sparking A Tar Heels Debate
The early read on North Carolinas next basketball roster is already dividing people, which is hardly a surprise when a new coach walks into Chapel Hill late in the offseason and inherits the pressure that comes with the job. Michael Malone has barely had time to settle in, but the conversation around his first UNC group is moving quickly, with some seeing a team that could be better than the outside perception suggests and capable of making a real push.
Former Tar Heel John Henson is not dismissing the roster, but he also is not handing out top-tier praise, calling it a B-minus and pointing to the reality of how much ground Malone has to make up. It is the kind of judgment that puts the spotlight right back on the coach, because the next couple of years will be measured not just by talent on paper, but by how fast North Carolina starts looking like a team that belongs in the upper tier of the sport again. [Read more 🡒]
UNCs New Offense Is Sending A Message After Last Seasons Collapse
After a 4-8 season that left the offense searching for answers, North Carolina has spent the offseason reshaping that side of the ball with a clear sense of purpose. The Tar Heels brought in a new voice in Bobby Petrino as offensive coordinator, added help through the transfer portal to support the passing game and opened training camp with a quarterback competition still in full swing.
Petrino has also made it plain that this years approach should look more balanced, with the running game expected to carry a bigger share of the load. For a team trying to move past last seasons collapse, that shift is about more than scheme. It is about finding a steadier identity, and the early days of camp are offering the first clues about whether North Carolina can finally build one. [Read more 🡒]
UNC's Deep Receiver Room Could Rescue A Messy Must-Win Season
North Carolina is heading into the season with a lot riding on its offense, and not much room for error. Bill Belichick needs at least six wins and a bowl trip to keep his first year on track, which puts extra pressure on a quarterback battle that includes Billy Edwards Jr., Miles O'Neill and Travis Burgess. The good news is that the Tar Heels may have more help at receiver than they do almost anywhere else on the roster, with Jordan Shipp at the front of a deep group built out by transfers and recruits.
Bobby Petrino is expected to lean into a run-first approach, with Demon June and Benjamin Hall set to carry much of the load on the ground. Still, in a season where the margin for mistake is thin, having legitimate options outside can matter just as much as any rushing plan or quarterback answer, and it gives North Carolina at least one obvious place to lean if the offense needs rescuing. [Read more 🡒]