Bill Belichick has settled on his starting quarterback for North Carolina’s season opener, and the job is going to Billy Edwards Jr.
The Wisconsin transfer has emerged from a tight preseason battle with Texas A&M transfer Miles O’Neill, according to reports first broken by ESPN. Edwards, now in his sixth season of college football, will be the guy when the Tar Heels face TCU in Ireland on Aug. 29.
It’s a clear vote for experience. Edwards has played in 28 college games and made 16 starts across stops at Wake Forest, Maryland and Wisconsin. O’Neill, by contrast, has seen action in eight games over two seasons at Texas A&M, completing 12 of 20 passes for 171 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
New UNC offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino had a past connection to O’Neill, recruiting him to Texas A&M while on staff there in 2023. Even with that link, North Carolina went with the more seasoned quarterback.
Edwards’ best work came at Maryland in 2024, when he completed 65 percent of his passes for 2,881 yards, 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions on a 4-8 team. He averaged 261.9 passing yards per game, second in the Big Ten to Dillon Gabriel, and delivered the signature performance of his career in a 29-28 win over USC, going 39 of 50 for 373 yards and accounting for three touchdowns.
There’s also a running element to Edwards’ game that could matter in Petrino’s offense, provided his health holds up. The 6-foot-3, 228-pound Virginia native has 13 career rushing touchdowns and was often used in short-yardage situations at Maryland before taking over as the full-time starter. In 2023, he ran for seven touchdowns, including three 1-yard scores against Michigan.
Health, though, is the lingering question. Edwards transferred to Wisconsin before the 2025 season but injured his left knee in the opener against Miami (Ohio).
He came back against Maryland three weeks later, left during Wisconsin’s second drive and never played again. He finished with 113 passing yards on 16 attempts and was granted an extra season of eligibility after appearing in only two games.
If he looks anything like the quarterback who nearly cracked 2,900 passing yards at Maryland, North Carolina’s offense has a chance to take a real step forward. If the knee slows him down, or if the Tar Heels stumble early against TCU, O’Neill could still force his way back into the picture.
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Former Texas A&M QB Just Reopened An Uncomfortable Aggies Question
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North Carolinas QB room is still sorting itself out, and ONeill arrived in a situation where opportunities should be there under the Tar Heels coaching staff. For Texas A&M, the uncomfortable part is less about where he went than what his exit says about the challenge of aligning talent with the right system, a question that never really goes away when a former blue-chip quarterback finds a better opening somewhere else. [Read more 🡒]
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The bigger question sits in front of him. Texas A&M is rebuilding most of its offensive line, with only center Mark Nabou back as a starter, and the staff has added help through the transfer portal to stabilize the unit. Wiggins wants a run-focused offense, but how far that approach can go will depend on how quickly the line comes together and whether it can create the balance Reed needs to make the passing game a real threat. [Read more 🡒]