**New Era begins for UNC**

*by Sharon Thorsland*

It’s the start of a new era in Chapel Hill, where the North Carolina Tar Heels open their first season under coach Bill Belichick on Monday night. The future Hall of Fame coach and the Heels welcome TCU to Kenan Stadium. The Horned Frogs finished 9-4 last season and are expected to compete for the Big 12 crown again this year. Kick-off is set for 8:00 on WBT.

This is a new-look UNC team – in addition to a new coaching staff, the roster has been turned over with 70 new players. Thirteen of the 22 projected starters are from the transfer portal, including quarterback Gio Lopez, who racked up 3,022 total yards and 25 touchdowns at South Alabama last season. He’ll likely direct the UNC offense, which will face a tough test in TCU. The Horned Frogs have a ton of returning talent, including five of their top seven tacklers. Linebacker Namdi Obiazor leads the way, he teams with Devean Deal, who had 5.5 sacks last season. Washington State defensive tackle transfer Ansel Din-Mbuh is coming off a six sack season, and superstar safeties Bud Clark and Jamel Johnson anchor what could be the Big 12’s best secondary. The Horned Frogs struggled against the run last season, but the Tar Heels lost starting running back Omarion Hampton to the NFL. Sophomore Davion Gause takes over after rushing for 326 yards and four touchdowns last season, and look for Lopez to also add some yards on the ground – he rushed for seven touchdowns last season.

On the other side of the ball, the Horned Frogs can put up some points! They averaged over 33 points per game last season, led by junior quarterback Josh Hoover. He threw for nearly 4,000 yards and 27 touchdowns in 2024, and plenty of talented receivers. Eric McAlister had 762 and five touchdowns last season, while Idaho transfer Jordan Dwyer picked up over 1200 receiving yards. Fellow transfer Joseph Manjack IV is also expected to make an immediate impact. The good news for UNC fans is that the strength of the Tar Heels’ defense is expected to be their secondary, including Washington transfer cornerback Thaddeus Dixon.

TCU’s ground game was overshadowed by Hoover and the passing attack last season, when the Frogs only averaged 3.7 yards per game on the ground. But UTSA transfer Kevorian Barnes looks to get things going this season. And of course we all know that the Tar Heels have long struggled to stop the run, no matter who the head coach is – will new defensive coordinator (and Belichick’s son) Steve Belichick be able to stop the bleeding? UNC lost its top-four tacklers, but Kaleb Cost is back after 64 tackles and 4 pass deflections, so is pass-rusher Pryce Yates, who has 12.5 career sacks.

This is no doubt a huge game for UNC. It’s the debut of Belichick, in primetime and on national TV. This can be a tone-setter for the rest of the season. There are plenty of unknowns surround the team on n both sides of the ball, but Lopez should be able to moves this offense. And if the Heels can keep TCU’s ground game in check and slow down Hoover just a little, they’ve got a chance to pull this one off. Welcome to Chapel Bill – go Tar Heels!