As UNC head coach Bill Belichick seeks a resurgence in Chapel Hill, a lackluster veteran favorite and a prolific transfer create a high-stakes dilemma for Bobby Petrino’s new-look offense.
North Carolina has a quarterback battle going on this offseason after Gio Lopez transferred to Wake Forest in the offseason.
New offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino replaced Freddie Kitchens, and there is hope that his offense can help Bill Belichick's staff win more games in the upcoming season after a disappointing 4-8 campaign in 2025.
Travis Burgess, Miles O’Neil and Billy Edwards Jr. appear to be the top options for the Tar Heels in Week 1.
Edwards seems to be the favorite to win the job. He has played three years at Maryland before transferring to Wisconsin for 2025. He's completed 62.1 percent of his passes for 3,430 yards, 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions during his first four years in college.
Not exactly the most exciting stuff.
Zach Koons of Sports Illustrated predicted the quarterback winners for the ACC. He thinks Edwards will win the job, though that shouldn't "inspire" confidence for the Tar Heels.
"Bill Belichick is desperately hoping for a step forward in 2026, but having Edwards as his best option doesn’t inspire much confidence," Koons wrote. "The sixth-year senior saw his lone season at Wisconsin derailed by a PCL sprain and nothing in his three years at Maryland particularly stood out.
"There is also a tantalizing option behind Edwards in Western Carolina transfer Taron Dickens, who threw for over 3,500 yards with 38 touchdowns to two interceptions last season. But obviously the level of competition is far from what Edwards has played against, leaving Belichick with an intriguing decision to make."
With a bevy of non-exciting options at quarterback, UNC will have to have a much-better rushing attack. Petrino wants the Tar Heels to be a power-running offense.
“You have to do a good job of teaching and being able to get them to understand the principles of offense,” Petrino said. "We've always been a power-run team, and being able to run the football well. I think you have to run the football.”
"You have to run it when you want to run it, so that when it's short-yardage, goal line, four-minute offense to end the game, you can run it when they know you're going to run the football. I think that's something we've always been very good at.”
Maybe Petrino can develop one of the quarterbacks on the roster to be a more than competent player this fall. Until then, there is some concern about how much progress the program can make in Year 2 for Belichick.