3 Things To Be Excited About for UNC Football Fall Camp

The North Carolina Tar Heels are kicking off their 2026 football season as fall camp is underway in Chapel Hill. Unfortunately, a veil of controversy once more hovers over the program as general manager Michael Lombardi was placed on paid administrative leave amid an investigation into a human resources complaint.

Setting aside the major news, football is back, and something that Tar Heels fans desperately want to see return to normalcy in 2026. Under head coach Bill Belichick, the hope is that the program turns around and returns to bowl season in December. Regardless, I wanted to share three things I'm most excited about with North Carolina football returning this week.

A Starting Quarterback Will Be Decided

UNC F — UNC football quarterbacks participating in spring practice on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, ahead of the Tar Heels' second season under coach Bill Belichick. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Thank goodness this will be somewhat of a done deal ahead of Week 0 in Dublin. Quarterbacks Billy Edwards Jr. and Miles O'Neill, and true freshman Travis Burgess, will be duking it out to become the new face of the Tar Heels football program as the national stage arrives early with the international matchup against TCU in a few weeks.

My favorite to win the job is Burgess, but he faces experience in Edwards and a high-ceiling, big-arm signal-caller in O'Neill for the gig. Offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino and Belichick will have a keen eye on the battle at the sport's most important position, and finding some stability and long-term hope should be key in the decision-making process.

The Deep Freshman Class

Including Burgess, there are some very intriguing talents to explore this season as the Tar Heels' rookie class is deep and impressive. With roughly 40 true freshmen, it is clear not all of them will be around again this time next summer. However, several have caught my attention throughout the spring and summer.

Defensively, Belichick nailed it with linebacker DQ Forkpa, cornerback Kenton Dopson III, defensive lineman Vodney Cleveland, and safety Jakob Weatherspoon. It will be hard to keep those four players off the field this season, even if they aren't starting. Burgess has the best chance of all the freshmen to start in Week 0, but wide receiver CJ Sadler has a chance to make some noise as a shifty playmaker in space.

The Offensive Improvements

Shipp UNC — Jul 17, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; North Carolina wide reciever Jordan Shipp, talks with the media during interviews at Hilton Charlotte Uptown. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

North Carolina's offense ranked 126th in points per game and went out this offseason to make sure that doesn't happen again. Hiring Petrino, who led a two-win Arkansas team to a top-25 scoring offense, was a big step in that direction. The same can be said of the many new faces on this side of the ball.

Transfer offensive linemen Andrew Threatt and Shaq McRoy are massive humans expected to be starters come opening weekend, while the tight end room is filled with high-ceiling talents ready to make a name for themselves in the offense. Star wide receiver Jordan Shipp will have transfers Mason Humphrey and Trech Kekahuna alongside him to build more opportunities in the passing game. Look for this unit to make major strides during camp.

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