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Heel Tough Blog: Tar Heels Retain Top 2025 Pass Rusher
University of North Carolina While the Tatr Heels continue to add to the roster for next season via the transfer portal, they are also working to retain key players from last year’s roster, and today they secured the return of pass rusher, Melkart Abou-Jaoude, who enjoyed a stellar 2025 campaign, after transferring in last year. He totaled 47 total tackles last year, including 12 tackles for loss, along with 10.5 sacks, which led the ACC, on his way to earning conference hon

Joshua Marlow
Jan 61 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Transfer Portal Haul Continues for UNC in Form of Penn State Pass Rusher
Kate Hildebrand - Collegian.PSU.edu The transfer portal news continues for Bill Belichick and the Tar Heels, as they’ve landed their second transfer of the day, in the form of Penn State pass rusher Jaylen Harvey, who was on campus over the weekend for a visit. Harvey, who is a former four-star recruit, may have limited stats from his time in Happy Valley, but he arrives in Chapel Hill with three years of eligibility and a ton of upside for this staff to tap into. During his

Joshua Marlow
Jan 52 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Bryce Baker Becomes 2nd Tar Heel QB to Enter the Transfer Portal
CBS Sports It’s been a busy day for the UNC football program, starting with the expected hire of Bobby Petrino as the new offensive coordinator, after Freddie Kitchens was hired after one season on the job. But that’s not the only big news on the offensive side of the football, as shortly after that news broke, freshman QB Bryce Baker announced his decision to enter the transfer portal, after one season in Chapel Hill. Baker was the prize recruit of Belichick’s initial recrui

Joshua Marlow
Dec 22, 20252 min read


Heel Tough Blog: UNC Veteran QB Announces Decision to Transfer
Bleacer Report After two seasons with the UNC football program, veteran QB Max Johnson announced his decision to transfer away from the Tar Heels. Johnson joined Carolina two years ago, when he transferred in from Texas A&M, committing to play for Mack Brown. He opened as the starter for the team in the season opener at Minnesota, where he suffered a gruesome leg injury that forced him to miss the rest of the 2024 season. After Carolina added Gio Lopez in the spring portal la

Joshua Marlow
Dec 5, 20251 min read


Heel Tough Blog: 8th Tar Heel Announces His Decision to Enter the Transfer Portal
ESPN.com With National Signing Day officially in the rear-view mirror, the focus for Bill Belichick and his staff is figuring out how many players are entering the transfer portal, so the staff can begin working on how to revamp the roster for next season, when the portal officially opens next month. Earlier today, Carolina lost their 8th player from the 2025 roster to the portal, as redshirt freshman Javarius Green entered the portal, after posting 13 catches, for 150 yards

Joshua Marlow
Dec 5, 20252 min read


Heel Tough Blog: 5 Tar Heels Earn ACC Honors After 2025 Season
Sports Illustrated Despite going just 4-8 this season, and 2-6 in league games, there were some Tar Heel football players to be recognized by the conference’s media members, as the 2025 All-ACC teams were announced earlier today. The first player to earn honors on either the first or the second team was defensive lineman, Melkart Abou Joude, who recorded 10.5 sacks and 47 tackles, including 12 tackles for loss, while starting all 12 games after transferring in from Delaware

Joshua Marlow
Dec 2, 20252 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Availability Report - California
After a second bye week in three weeks, the Tar Heels are on their way out west to take on California in an ACC contest, set for tomorrow night, at 10:30 PM on ESPN. Carolina has only played once in the past 27 days, a blowout loss to Clemson, despite Bill Belichick’s insistence that his team is improving. The good news about the time off is that it allowed for some players to get healthy, heading into the back half of the season, where Carolina will play seven straight games

Joshua Marlow
Oct 16, 20252 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Week 1 Stock Report - South Carolina
It has been over 48 hours since the Tar Heels took down South Carolina, 31-17 to open the 2023 season. Entering the season opener, there...

Joshua Marlow
Sep 5, 20234 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Five Questions Tar Heels Must Answer in 2023
It's hard to believe, but the 2023 season opener is just a week away, as the Tar Heels are set to take on South Carolina next Saturday...

Ashtin Marlow
Aug 26, 20234 min read


Heel Tough Blog: 2025 3✮ ATH Flips Commitment to NC State
It was just eleven days ago that 2025 3✮ ATH Gus Ritchey announced that he was committing to the Tar Heels over NC State. Now, not even...

Anthony Pagnotta
Aug 12, 20231 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Heels Picked to Finish 3rd in ACC
The ACC wrapped up its preseason media voting over the weekend following its media days and on Tuesday the conference’s preseason polls...

Joshua Marlow
Aug 1, 20232 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Ashtin's Analysis - Oregon
UNC entered the Holiday Bowl needing a win that could salvage what was a good year for the Tar Heels that turned sour late. UNC fought...

Ashtin Marlow
Dec 31, 20223 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Mack Brown 12/19 Press Conference Takeaways
Mack Brown made his final Monday appearance with the media ahead of UNC’s matchup against No. 15 Oregon on December 28. With the player...

Ashtin Marlow
Dec 20, 20222 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Storm Duck Enters Transfer Portal
The hits keep coming for the Tar Heel football program, as defensive back Storm Duck entered the transfer portal earlier this evening....

Joshua Marlow
Dec 7, 20222 min read


Heel Tough Blog - Mack Brown 11/21 PC Takeaways
Mack Brown made his weekly appearance Monday and spoke with the media following UNC’s disappointing loss to Georgia Tech on Saturday. He...

Ashtin Marlow
Nov 22, 20221 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Ashtin's Analysis - Georgia Tech
It was going to happen. UNC was going to lose a close game, one that they probably should have won by 30. It happened on Saturday as UNC...

Ashtin Marlow
Nov 21, 20222 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Mack Brown 11/14 PC Takeaways
Mack Brown met with the media on Monday as he does every week ahead of UNC’s meeting with Georgia Tech this Saturday. It was on the heels...

Ashtin Marlow
Nov 15, 20222 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Week 11 Trench Report - Wake Forest
The Tar Heels magical season continued over the weekend, as they escaped Wake Forest with a 36-34 win, improving to 9-1 on the 2022...

Joshua Marlow
Nov 14, 20223 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Ashtin's Analysis - Wake Forest
If this UNC team had a motto, it might be “find a way.” UNC has had to find a way to win tough games on the road all year. This past...

Ashtin Marlow
Nov 14, 20222 min read


Heel Tough Blog: Week 10 Trench Report - Virginia
Carolina improved to 8-1 on Saturday as they won for the first time in Charlottesville under Mack Brown, 31-28, as Carolina overcame...

Joshua Marlow
Nov 8, 20222 min read
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