3 Glaring Reasons UNC Football’s Offense Continues To Struggle

The North Carolina Tar Heels suffered a massive overtime letdown against the Syracuse Orange on Saturday night. At a time when they had much momentum after two big wins, expectations are beginning to simmer for the Tar Heels, with the No. 1-ranked Miami Hurricanes coming to town for another primetime showdown.

Head coach Bill Belichick has a problem on offense, with some of it coming down to the quarterback and down-to-down consistency after the opening drive. The first series has always been beneficial for the Tar Heels because it's a scripted drive. Before figuring out how to solve the issues this offense faces, we have to understand why these issues are happening in the first place.

Here are three reasons North Carolina's offense continues to struggle deep into the 2026 season.

Edwards UNC — Oct 24, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. (9) makes calls during the second quarter against Syracuse Orange at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

1. The Quarterback

I wrote a lengthy story on Tar Heels signal-caller Billy Edwards and how he may not be the right quarterback for the program. He routinely misses wide-open outlets, plays with inconsistent mechanics, doesn't trust his reads at times, and struggles mightily against pressure.

What will help North Carolina's offense in general is better quarterback play. Edwards must be better, or someone else will have to carry the load. If the sixth-year senior can minimize mistakes and trust what he sees in front of him, the game management and efficiency aspects of the offense will improve.

McGill UNC — Oct 24, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels running back Jaylen McGill (27) reacts after a play during the first quarter against Syracuse Orange at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

2. Failing To Maintain an Established Run Game

This falls on offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino more than anything. The Tar Heels can be a potent rushing offense with their current duo of Jaylen McGill and Demon June, as starter Benjamin Hall continues to recover from an injury suffered against Duke. Coming out on consecutive series by running the football helps set the tone and play-action in the passing game.

Petrino faces the top run defense in college football in the Hurricanes this weekend, but for the rest of the season, establishing the run early and often would not only open the door for scoring opportunities after the opening series, but also allow Edwards to play more confidently and effectively as a downfield passer.

Kelly UNC — Sep 19, 2026; Clemson, South Carolina, USA; University of North Carolina Tar Heels offensive lineman Christo Kelly (56) celebrates after a touchdown early in the first quarter against the Clemson Tigers at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ashley Tumlin-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

3. Offensive Line Execution

I would say the offensive line is not necessarily a weakness, but it's not a strength either. North Carolina's offense has stalled at times because of their mishandling of pressures and line games up front. There are some solid players such as the interior linemen Andrew Threatt, Christo Kelly, and Aidan Banfield, but the tackles at times have been inconsistent.

The group as a whole must execute better, especially in the run game. There are some moments when they allow penetration in the backfield or don't hit their second-level landmarks. It will be interesting to see if Belichick sticks with this current group or experiments with something new.

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