Dec 30, 2016; El Paso, TX, USA; A view of the North Carolina Tar Heels logo and helmet outside their locker room before facing the Stanford Cardinal at Sun Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre-Imagn Images Ivan Pierre Aguirre-Imagn Images

UNC’s Offensive Line Faces Early Season Challenge After Critical Injury

Originally posted on North Carolina Tar Heels on SI
By Grant Chachere | Last updated Aug 10, 2025 9:38 PM ET

North Carolina carried good vibes throughout fall camp as the Tar Heels prepared for their season opener against TCU on Labor Day. However, those feelings have evaporated after a major injury to one of their most critical players.

Sixth-year offensive lineman Austin Blaske will be out for at least the first four games of the season after he suffered a non-contact foot injury suffered in training camp. Inside Carolina had the story first.

According to Inside Carolina, Blaske suffered a fractured foot and he is awaiting further evaluation along with a full diagnosis. The earliest Blaske could return would be for UNC’s ACC league opener against projected conference champion Clemson on Oct. 4.

Blaske started at center for UNC last season. He has worked at center, guard and tackle since Bill Belichick took over the program, amid the Tar Heels’ ongoing search to put together their five most cohesive components on the offensive line. However, he has been working mostly at guard as he slid over to the position due to the arrival of Christo Kelly, a former all-conference center at Holy Cross last season.

This is a critical loss for Carolina not only because he is seen as the leader of the offensive line but because of his versatility and superb pass blocking. Blaske didn’t allow a single sack in 437 pass-blocking snaps and earned an 84.4 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus and has had snaps at center, guard and tackle throughout his career.

What Happens Now?

As bleak as it sounds, the offensive line has enough depth to overcome the loss of Blaske to an extent as Belichick made sure he stocked up on the line of scrimmage through the transfer portal.

Troy transfer Daniel King and Rice transfer Chad Lindberg could factor more in the mix on the interior during Blaske’s absence.

A three-year starter and two-time First-Team All-Sun Belt selection at Troy, King allowed just nine sacks in 1,396 pass-blocking snaps. He also served as a team captain — a trait that likely caught the attention of head coach Bill Belichick.

Lindbergh, who was a teammate of Blaske’s when they were at Georgia, stated 11 games for Rice last season, most of which were at guard.

Banfield, who started 11 of 13 games and played 649 snaps as a true freshman is now back in the mix after being pushed down the depth chart because of more experienced linemen coming in.

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

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