After an intense fall camp duel, a former Texas A&M quarterback has reportedly lost the battle for the starting job at North Carolina.
According to college football insider Pete Thamel, the Tar Heels have decided to name Wisconsin transfer Billy Edwards Jr. the starting quarterback over former Aggie signal-caller Miles O'Neill. This comes after reports emerged that O'Neill was in the lead for the position and impressing the coaching staff during North Carolina's fall camp practices.
The former four-star will now likely be the backup for Edwards, who is set to start in UNC's season opener next Saturday against TCU in Ireland.
Sources: North Carolina has named veteran transfer Billy Edwards Jr. the team’s starter for the opener, and he’ll debut for the Tar Heels against TCU in Ireland. Edwards won a close battle with Miles O’Neill, a Texas A&M transfer who has familiarity with new OC Bobby Petrino. pic.twitter.com/r0hLBVzgoJ
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) August 18, 2026
O'Neill's talent led many to tout him as the next Texas A&M quarterback once Marcel Reed departed, but after two seasons in College Station, the Massachusetts native transferred to Chapel Hill. The 6-foot-5, 220-pounder has the arm strength and athletic ability to be a solid gunslinger for Bill Belichick's offense. He fits North Carolina's scheme much better than new Aggie offensive coordinator Holmon Wiggins, which could allow him to develop and eventually earn his opportunity to shine as the starter.
The Tar Heels are still trying to catch their footing after a rocky start to the Belichick era in 2025, going 4-8 and recording just a 2-6 mark in the ACC. Edwards is a talented veteran who has the tools to operate Belichick's offense and get things rolling at North Carolina, but it is too soon to count out O'Neill. If things don't work out with Edwards, the former Texas A&M quarterback could get the shot he has been looking for with the Tar Heels at some point this season.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Former Texas A&M QB loses battle for starter at North Carolina