top of page
Search


Heel Tough Blog: Three Players No Longer With Team as Spring Ball Approaches
@evan7bennett- Instagram With spring ball right around the corner, news has dropped that three players who were with the Tar Heels last season and didn’t enter the transfer portal this winter are no longer with the program. As first reported by Inside Carolina, linebacker Evan Bennett, tight end Cort Halsey and defensive lineman Laderion Williams are not a part of the Tar Heels roster for spring ball which is expected to begin on March 24th according to On3 Sports. Bennett, a

Anthony Pagnotta
5 days ago2 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Tar Heels Sign Western Carolina Transfer QB
Western Carolina Athletics Following the additions of Kaleb Jackson and Brandon Homady, it appeared that the Tar Heels were done adding guys out of the portal. As we learned on Sunday morning, though, that is not the case. As first reported by Pete Nakos of On3 Sports, the Tar Heels have signed Western Carolina transfer quarterback Taron Dickens out of the portal. He is expected to have two years of eligibility remaining in Chapel Hill. Dickens, 5’11, 180 lbs., is coming off

Anthony Pagnotta
Feb 152 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Two Members of Tar Heels' 2026 Class Not With Program
@li.r3d6- Instragram/Tremain Hill- Treehouse Photography The importance of the 2026 recruiting class for the Tar Heels can not be understated with where the roster is at and on Thursday, it was revealed that the team has lost two signees from that class. As first reported by Inside Carolina’s Don Callahan earlier today, wide receiver Keeyun Chapman and interior offensive lineman Da’Ron Parks will no longer be a part of the football program after signing with the team in Decem

Anthony Pagnotta
Feb 122 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Drake Maye Searching for Super Bowl LX Title
Mike Wass- AP Photo When the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks take the field for Super Bowl LX, three former Tar Heels will be a part of the festivities as they hope to close the season out with the ultimate prize, a Lombardi Trophy. For the first time in the history of the Super Bowl, a former Tar Heel will be one of the starting quarterbacks in the game. Drake Maye, who spent two years as a starter at Carolina, may have fallen just short of a regular season MVP, bu

Anthony Pagnotta
Feb 84 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Tar Heels Make Late Add to OL Via the 2026 HS Recruiting Class
@shiftteambigd- Instagram After the Tar Heels signed 39 commits in the early signing period, it seemed like they were done in the 2026 recruiting class, but that apparently was not the case. As first reported by Inside Carolina, the Tar Heels have landed a commitment from 2026 3✮ IOL Dujuan Davis after offering him earlier in the day. Davis chooses the Tar Heels over offers from Florida Atlantic, South Florida, Ole Miss, Rutgers and Western Kentucky. Davis, the No. 2387 overa

Anthony Pagnotta
Feb 22 min read


Heel Tough Blog: 2026 Schedule Breakdown
Grant Halverson- Getty Images The 2026 schedule for the ACC was released on Monday evening, meaning that the Tar Heels 2026 schedule is now final. In what will be an important season for Bill Belichick and his staff, the Tar Heels will face one of the more difficult schedules in the country. Here’s a breakdown of the slate that is on the horizon for this fall. August 29th: vs. TCU For a second straight season, the Tar Heels will open the season with a matchup with the Horned

Anthony Pagnotta
Jan 274 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Tar Heels Land West Virginia OL Transfer
Joe Sargent- Getty Images After a few quiet days last week, the Tar Heels are back to adding guys through the portal. After landing more help for the running back room earlier this morning, the team added another offensive lineman to a room that they are trying to completely overhaul this offseason. As first reported by Pete Nakos of On3 Sports, the Tar Heels have picked up a commitment from West Virginia transfer offensive lineman Brandon Homady earlier this morning. He has

Anthony Pagnotta
Jan 191 min read


Heel Tough Blog: LSU RB Commits to UNC
Randy J. Williams- Getty Images The past week has been pretty silent for the Tar Heels on the transfer portal front, but on Monday morning, the team got back to work as they added a commitment to their offensive backfield out of the SEC. As first reported by Pete Nakos of On3 Sports/Rivals, LSU running back transfer Kaleb Jackson committed to the Tar Heel staff over the weekend. He has two years of eligibility remaining. Jackson, who measures in at 6’0, 234 lbs., is a former

Anthony Pagnotta
Jan 192 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Tar Heel DB Who Entered Portal Expect to Return to UNC
@greg3smith- Instagram Yesterday, the Tar Heels lost a promising piece to the transfer portal, but it appears that may no longer be the case. As first reported by Inside Carolina on Thursday morning, the Tar Heels are expected to retain defensive back Greg Smith after he entered the transfer portal yesterday. He still has three years of eligibility remaining at the college level. Smith, who transferred in from Florida last offseason, will return to Chapel Hill after a redshir

Anthony Pagnotta
Jan 151 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Promising UNC DB Enters the Portal
Lance King- Getty Images Over the weekend, the Tar Heels lost two impactful defensive players to the portal and on Wednesday the team lost another promising young player on that side of the ball. As first reported by Hayes Fawcett of On3 Sports/Rivals, Tar Heel defensive back Greg Smith is entering the transfer portal. He will have three years of eligibility remaining wherever he lands. Smith, who transferred in from Florida last offseason, is leaving Chapel Hill after just o

Anthony Pagnotta
Jan 141 min read


Heel Tough Blog: What Do the Tar Heels Still Need in the Portal?
Jaylynn Nash- Getty Images The Tar Heels have been doing some significant work in the transfer portal in the past week, as they have landed 10 commitments, including some at important positions of need. Even though they have addressed certain positions, there are still some areas that they need to add more to before this portal cycle closes. Here is a look at how we would use the seven scholarship spots that we believe remain for the Tar Heels. 1 Offensive Lineman The Tar Hee

Anthony Pagnotta
Jan 132 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Tar Heels Re-Sign Second DT
Bob Donnan- Imagn Images In the midst of all the portal commits and portal entries, there was a big re-signing for the Tar Heels that took place as well on Sunday. As the football program announced earlier this afternoon, the Tar Heels have agreed to a new deal with defensive tackle Isaiah Johnson to keep him in Chapel Hill for this upcoming season. Like with the other players who have re-signed, the terms of the deal are not made public at this time. Johnson, who transferred

Anthony Pagnotta
Jan 111 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Richmond Transfer EDGE Signs with UNC
@donovan.klp- Instagram After a couple of days full of bad news along the defensive line, the Tar Heels have just landed a big commitment at edge rusher. As announced by the Tar Heel football program on Sunday afternoon, the team has picked up a commitment and signed Richmond transfer edge rusher Donovan Hoillette. He will have one year of eligibility remaining. Holiette, who measures in at 6’4, 245 lbs., is coming off of a five year stint with Richmond where he played in 40

Anthony Pagnotta
Jan 111 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Tar Heels Lose Another Key DL to the Portal
Katherine Gawlik- Icon Sportswire Defensive tackle was the one spot on the Tar Heels’ roster that felt secure coming into the offseason, but after the last two days, that is no longer the case. After losing CJ Mims to the transfer portal on Saturday, the team got the news on Sunday that fellow defensive tackle D’Antre Robinson is leaving the team, as well, and heading to the transfer portal. He will have two years of eligibility remaining at the college level wherever he land

Anthony Pagnotta
Jan 111 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Tar Heels Land Two TEs From Portal
Ben Jackson- Getty Images/Justin Ford- Getty Images Entering Sunday, the Tar Heels had just two scholarship tight ends with any college playing experience on the roster, but that changed quickly. It started overnight in the wee hours of the morning when the team landed Ohio State transfer Jelani Thurman and continued later in the morning when Texas transfer Jordan Washington committed to the program. Thurman will have two years of eligibility remaining, while Washington has t

Anthony Pagnotta
Jan 112 min read


Heel Tough Blog: LSU Kicker Transfer Signs With Tar Heels
Gus Stark- LSU Athletics When the Tar Heels lost kicker Guytano Bartolomeo to the portal earlier this week, it became important that they brought in another kicker to compete with true freshman David Green. On Saturday, the team did just that in the form of an LSU transfer kicker that earned second team All-SEC and Freshman All-SEC honors in 2024. As announced by the football program on Saturday evening, the Tar Heels have signed Aeron Burrell to be a part of their kicker roo

Anthony Pagnotta
Jan 111 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Tar Heels Land Commitment from Clemson IOL Transfer
John Byrum- Icon Sportswire The Tar Heels were in need of at least one more commitment along the offensive line and they have just picked up another commitment. As first reported by Pete Nakos of On3 Sports/Rivals, the Tar Heels have picked up a commitment from Clemson transfer IOL Rowan Byrne. He will have four years of eligibility remaining. Byrne, who measures in at 6’5, 295 lbs., transferred from Clemson after spending just one season with the program. This season, he saw

Anthony Pagnotta
Jan 101 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Tar Heels Lose Key Member of DT Rotation to Portal
Lance King- Getty Images The one position that the Tar Heels felt most comfortable about coming into this offseason was the defensive tackle spot because of the four-man rotation that the team used there this season expected to return. On Saturday, though, the team lost one of those four to the portal. As first reported by Steve Wiltfong and Pete Nakos of On3 Sports/Rivals, Tar Heels defensive tackle CJ Mims has entered his name into the transfer portal according to his reps.

Anthony Pagnotta
Jan 101 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Syracuse Transfer LB Commits to UNC
Rich Barnes- Imagn Images As we talked about last night, linebacker was still a position of need for the Tar Heels, but they addressed that on Saturday afternoon. As first reported by Hayes Fawcett of On3 Sports/Rivals, the Tar Heels have landed a commitment from Syracuse LB Derek McDonald following his visit to campus back on Monday. He has one season of eligibility remaining. McDonald, who measures in at 6’4, 230 lbs., is coming off a successful five year stint with the Syr

Anthony Pagnotta
Jan 101 min read


Heel Tough Blog: UNC Linebacker Searching For Extra Year Enters the Portal
Bryant Bennett- Getty Images It’s no secret that the Tar Heels are in need of more help at the linebacker position and that remains true after the news that they received on Friday evening. As first reported by Chris Hummer and Matt Zenitz of 247Sports, Tar Heel linebacker Mikai Gbayor has entered the transfer portal. He will have one year remaining wherever he lands if he can get a waiver from the NCAA. Gbayor spent just one season with the Tar Heels after transferring from

Anthony Pagnotta
Jan 91 min read
bottom of page
