In less than two weeks, the North Carolina Tar Heels play football, facing TCU in a rematch of the 2025 season-opener for both teams.
UNC will battle the Horned Frogs on Saturday, August 29 at 12 p.m. in Dublin, Ireland for the Aer Lingus College Football Classic. North Carolina enters its 2026 opener with another new-look roster, one head coach Bill Belichick is more confident in, while TCU returns its top rusher and a few defensive standouts.
One particular expected Tar Heel starter, sophomore running back Demon June, is extremely confident ahead of the fall. The reasoning behind his confidence? New offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino.
“My confidence is through the roof,” June said on Friday via On3 Sports' Jack Morris. "We’re gonna run at you,” June explained. “We’re not gonna go side to side, and we’re not trying to be fancy with it. Just get downhill and play tough. Knowing the areas I needed to improve in going into the offseason, helped me add fuel to the fire just to come back this year with a tough-guy type of (mentality). Just wanting to be that guy.”
Petrino spent his 2025 season as interim head coach at Arkansas, a program he led full-time from 2008-11. The Razorbacks finished a measly 2-10, but their offense averaged 454.8 yards per game, good enough for 19th nationally.
June quickly emerged to become North Carolina's top rusher a season ago, logging 100 yards in just his second collegiate game, a 41-6 drubbing of Richmond. Nine games later, June finished his freshman campaign by leading UNC with 464 rushing yards.
Given the Tar Heels' crowded, 2025 running back room, June's usage became spotty after his 148-yard performance against the Spiders. June carried the rock 10 times during North Carolina's 34-9 loss at UCF, just a combined 13 times over his next three games, broke out for 101 yards and a score in a Halloween win at Syracuse, then recorded a combined 20 carries over his final four games.
June should lead UNC's 2026 RB room, but Benjamin Hall returns and Kaleb Jackson enters the picture. Will the Tar Heels' 2025 breakout star emerge again but, this time, cement himself as RB1?
Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: Projected UNC starter confident about new-look offense for 2026