CHAPEL HILL — North Carolina football head coach Bill Belichick tabbed veteran quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. as the Tar Heels’ starter for the season opener against TCU, confirming a report from earlier in the week.
Edwards, who previously played at Maryland and Wisconsin, has played in parts of four seasons, including as a fulltime starter in 2024, and brought the most experience to the Tar Heels’ quarterback competition.
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“Billy’s probably a little bit more consistent and he has more experience and that probably showed up over a long haul,” Belichick said Friday.
“We’re talking about close to almost 2,000 snaps between the spring and training camp and seven on seven and you get into the throwing drills and all of that. It’s not based on one play or one series or one touchdown or one interception or anything. It’s kind of a whole composite of it, and he just came out ahead.”
Edwards beat out sophomore transfer Miles O’Neill, freshman Travis Burgess and returner Au’Tori Newkirk for the starting job in coordinator Bobby Petrino’s first season running the offense.
The Tar Heels open Belichick’s second season on Aug. 29 against TCU in Dublin, Ireland.
In his college career, which began in 2021 at Wake Forest, Edwards has completed 318-of-512 passes (62.1 percent) for 3,430 yards and 19 touchdowns. He has rushed for 377 yards and 13 touchdowns in his career. Edwards has thrown 10 interceptions.
Edwards was injured in his first game for Wisconsin in 2025. He returned for one game later in the season, but missed the rest of the year with an injured knee. He threw just 16 passes for the Badgers.
“He has a good deep ball,” said wide receiver Mason Humphrey. “All around, Billy’s a great player.”
