Edwards Jr. Named UNC Starter
UNC Names Transfer Billy Edwards Jr. Starting Quarterback for Ireland Opener Against TCU
Key Points
Edwards started 11 games for Maryland in 2024 and averaged 261.9 passing yards per game, ranking second in the Big Ten by that metric.
Edwards' 2024 Maryland season included 9 interceptions along with 2,881 passing yards and 15 touchdowns.
Miles O’Neill, UNC’s competitor for the starting job, was a Texas A&M backup who threw 14 passes with 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions last season.
Edwards wore a knee brace during spring practice at UNC and had not worn one during fall camp.
UNC’s 2026 roster reportedly includes about 60 new players as part of Bill Belichick’s revamped program.
Bill Belichick has named Billy Edwards Jr. as North Carolina's starting quarterback for the Tar Heels' season opener against TCU on Aug. 29 in Dublin, Ireland, according to The New York Times. Edwards, a Wisconsin transfer, beat out Texas A&M transfer Miles O'Neill after a training-camp battle Belichick called a close competition.
Edwards enters his sixth college season having played 28 games and made 16 starts across his career, Lancaster Online reported. He is Belichick's first major quarterback decision heading into his second year coaching UNC, which went 4-8 last season.
Edwards' Big Ten Production Made Him the Clear Choice
Edwards had his best season in 2024 at Maryland. He threw for 2,881 yards and 15 touchdowns in 11 starts. His 261.9 passing yards per game ranked second in the Big Ten. Belichick praised that output, calling Edwards one of the top passers in the Big Ten two years ago, The New York Times reported.
Edwards also threw 9 interceptions that season. He then transferred to Wisconsin in 2025 but spent most of the year sidelined by a knee injury. He wore a knee brace during spring practice at UNC, according to Tarheel Blog, but showed up to fall camp without one — a sign he was healthy and ready.
O'Neill Never Had a Real Shot Against Edwards' Résumé
Miles O'Neill, the other main contender, was a backup at Texas A&M last season. He threw just 14 passes, totaling one touchdown and two interceptions, Lancaster Online reported. The experience gap between the two was wide. Edwards' 16 career starts dwarfed O'Neill's slim college record.
Two other quarterbacks — Au'Tori Newkirk and Travis Burgess — also competed for the job. Neither gained serious traction. Belichick named Edwards the winner after camp, and Fighting Irish Wire noted it ended a competition that the staff had kept open through the summer.
Ireland Opener Sets the Tone for Belichick's Rebuilt Roster
The Aug. 29 game against TCU in Dublin is a high-profile stage for a program still finding its footing. UNC went 4-8 in Belichick's first season. The Tar Heels' roster now includes about 60 new players, according to Tarheel Blog, as Belichick continues to overhaul the program through the transfer portal.
Edwards fits the offense that coordinator Bobby Petrino wants to run. He has a quick release — averaging around 2.34 to 2.47 seconds to throw — and earned 18 big-time throw grades from Pro Football Focus in 2024. That speed and decision-making could help a UNC passing attack that badly needed an upgrade last year.
UNC Faces Notre Dame Later, Raising Program Stakes
The Ireland game is not UNC's only high-profile matchup in 2026. The Tar Heels are also scheduled to host Notre Dame in Chapel Hill, Fighting Irish Wire noted. That means Edwards will face two top programs in his first season as UNC's starter. How he handles Dublin will set expectations for the rest of the year.
For Belichick, the Edwards decision is a signal of where the program is headed. He is betting on proven college production over raw upside. If Edwards plays close to his 2024 Maryland level, UNC should have a much more competitive offense than it fielded a year ago.
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