Predicting UNC's 2026 Starting QB and His Backup

Nov 29, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick addresses the media after the second half of the game against NC State Wolfpack at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

Predicting UNC's 2026 Starting QB and His Backup

Originally posted on North Carolina Tar Heels on SI
By Justin Backer | Last updated Jun 1, 2026 7:00 AM ET

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The North Carolina Tar Heels have an interesting situation developing under center next season, which could have a profound impact on their ceiling in 2026-27.

Firstly, the Tar Heels can’t be mentioned without noting the fact that they were in the headlines last offseason for one of the most surprising head coaching hires in recent memory, filling their vacancy with 6-time Super Bowl-winning head coach Bill Belichick, who has never in his 50-year coaching career held a position in college football.

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UNC Last Season

Last season, the Tar Heels struggled in virtually every facet of the game on their way to a disappointing 4-8 record in Belichick’s first season. At the quarterback position, things didn’t go quite smoothly at all, as South Alabama transfer Gio Lopez struggled to get acclimated in his first season in the ACC, throwing for 1,747 yards with 10 touchdowns and five interceptions.

After the season, Lopez would enter the transfer portal, as would backups Max Johnson and Bryce Baker. With pretty much every playable quarterback from last season’s team now out of the frame, the Tar Heels were tasked with finding their replacements.

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In the transfer portal, the Tar Heels picked up Wisconsin transfer Billy Edwards Jr. Last season with the Badgers, Edwards hardly saw the field thanks to an MCL injury in the season-opener against Miami-Ohio. He completed just seven passes in 16 attempts for 113 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions before his injury.

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Edwards As a Starter

In his lone season as a full-time starter, he threw for 2,881 yards with 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions under center for the Maryland Terrapins in the 2024 season. He’ll look to have an immediate impact with the Tar Heels in 2026, as he projects to likely be the team’s starter given his veteran leadership and experience at the power four level.

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His backup will likely be incoming freshman Travis Burgess, a 4-star quarterback who held offers from Arizona State, Boston College, Pitt, Virginia Tech, Mississippi State, and Duke, among others, before choosing the Tar Heels. The two quarterbacks will battle it out over the rest of the offseason as they compete for the starting gig for the Tar Heels.

As a team, North Carolina hopes its second season with Belichick at the helm goes much better than the first, and that it can get back on track with a reshaped roster in 2026.

This article first appeared on North Carolina Tar Heels on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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