Tag: austin blaske

UNC starting offensive lineman makes history, named to FWAA Freshman All-America team

One of UNC’s starting offensive lineman made history with his recent award

The North Carolina Tar Heels were expected to go through some growing pains on the football field in 2024, highlighted by playing with a new starting quarterback and top wide receiver.

Those growing pains were evident in a 6-7 campaign, which ended in a Fenway Bowl defeat. UNC got a record-breaking season from running Omarion Hampton, thankfully, as he was one of the few bright spots.

Another bright spot for North Carolina was along its offensive line. Though the Tar Heels dealt with injuries along their O-line throughout the season, they also found a future star for years to come.

Aidan Banfield, who started six games for UNC and is officially listed as a starting left guard, recently earned a spot on the 2024 Football Writers Association of American Freshman All-America Team.

Not only did Banfield shine in his six starts on the field, but he also made history by making the FWAA’s All-American team, becoming the first-ever North Carolina O-Lineman to make the list.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DE0SWCSSRZh/

Banfield was one of many Tar Heels to enter his name in the transfer portal after Mack Brown’s firing, but withdrew his name upon Bill Belichick’s hiring.

Banfield is expected to be a leader this fall on a re-constructed offensive line, one which will be blocking for yet another starting quarterback. Joining Banfield are the likes of 2024 starting center Austin Blaske and four incoming transfers: William Boone, Chad Lindberg, Miles McVay and Christo Kelly.

Regardless of whom Bill Belichick starts along his first UNC offensive line, he has a star in Banfield.

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Amare Campbell returning to UNC football proves the Belichick effect is real

Amare Campbell’s return wasn’t the only big roster news for the UNC football last week.

Saturday, December 14 was a big day for the UNC football program – and continued to solidify why new head coach Bill Belichick is the real deal.

On Saturday, North Carolina starting middle linebacker Amare Campbell withdrew his name from the transfer portal. For a position the Tar Heels entered the season unsure about, given Cedric Gray’s departure to the NFL (he’s now a Tennessee Titan), they witnessed a star develop in Campbell,

Through 12 regular season games, Cambpell tied for a UNC-best 6.5 sacks,  recorded 10.5 tackles for loss (second-highest), 72 total tackles, four quarterback hurries.

Campbell entered the portal when North Carolina dragged its feet on initially hiring Belichick, but withdrew once Bill was the guy.

Campbell’s withdrawal was the Tar Heels’ greatest roster move so far after Belichick’s hire, but it was just one of four moves.

4-star quarterback Bryce Baker officially signed with UNC, while 2024 starting offensive linemen Austin Blaske and Aidan Banfield withdrew themselves from the transfer portal.

What’s particularly encouraging about these recent decisions: despite Belichick never previously coaching at the college level, players trust his longtime success in the NFL.

Belichick led the New England Patriots to Six Super Bowl titles and several additional AFC East Championships, so he knows a thing of two about winning consistently.

North Carolina has its quarterback of the future and two linemen to protect him. There’s no telling what the Tar Heels’ defense will do, but Campbell’s return solidifies a unit looking for consistency. If you watch NFL religiously every Sunday like myself, you know that Belichick had some pretty good defenses in New England.

There’s bound to be several additional moves for UNC: both in the transfer portal and with highly-touted, high school recruits.

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Two UNC football starters return from portal after team hires Bill Belichick

Two Tar Heels starters from last season removed their name from the portal today!

North Carolina has generated interest from about every angle you can think of over the past several days. After hiring Bill Belichick, the football program at Chapel Hill took a dominant national position.

Two players who immediately put their names in the transfer portal after the firing of Mack Brown and the season finale were starting offensive linemen Aidan Banfield and Austin Blaske.

Banfield came to North Carolina as a three-star recruit and an 87 ranking according to 247 Sports. As a transfer, Banfield was up to an 88 ranking overall and the No. 6 offensive lineman in the portal.

Banfield started 10 games for the Tar Heels in the previous season.

Blaske came to UNC football from Georgia after a four-star recruiting profile and a 90 overall ranking, according to 247 Sports. He was the No. 32 tackle in the country when he came out of high school.

The fifth-year senior started 11 games for North Carolina in his senior season.

North Carolina now has solidified one of the key elements on offense, the line. The guys who protected Jacolby Criswell all season have returned. It is no surprise that a name like Bill Belichick will get those guys who have already entered the transfer portal to re-think their decisions.

Blaske and Banfield will not be the only players to return from the portal to their home team after a massive hiring like Belichick.

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Former UGA OL withdraws from portal after UNC hires Bill Belichick

UNC offensive lineman, a former Georgia Bulldog, has withdraws from the NCAA transfer portal after UNC hires Bill Belichick

Former Georgia Bulldogs offensive tackle Austin Blaske transferred to the North Carolina Tar Heels following the 2023 college football season. Blaske, who was named as Georgia’s starting left tackle before the 2023 season, battled injuries in his final season with UGA before electing to transfer.

Blaske was considering transferring again before UNC hired former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick. After UNC’s shocking decision to hire Belichick, Blaske announced that he was removing his name from the transfer portal.

“I have decided to take my name out of the transfer portal,” said Blaske via social media.

The senior offensive lineman will play his final college season with the Tar Heels. Blaske started at center in 11 all games that he was healthy for during the 2024 season with UNC. Blaske’s return boosts UNC’s offensive front. The Tar Heels went 6-6 in 2024 and will be competing in the Fenway Bowl.

Blaske began his career at Georgia from 2020-2023. He played in 17 total games and redshirted in 2020.

UNC football could be getting offensive line reinforcement with visit from Tulsa transfer

A mid-December visit could give the UNC football team a much-needed reinforcement

The transfer portal has not been kind to the UNC football team in its early stages, snatching up several starters and a couple key reserves.

North Carolina’s greatest losses are star linebacker Amare Campbell, who emerged as a reliable starter and replacement for now-Tennessee Titan Cedric Gray, quarterback Conner Harrell and defensive lineman Travis Shaw.

The Tar Heels will also be thin at offensive line in 2025, a position they can’t afford to lose talent at, but those losses could be minimized after an upcoming visit.

Walter Young Bear, an offensive lineman who spent his first four seasons at Tulsa, is planning to visit UNC on Wednesday, December 18. According to Tar Heel Illustrated’s Bryant Baucom, Bear will then make a decision on Monday, Dec. 23.

North Carolina current has six offensive lineman in the transfer portal, including three 2024 starters in center Austin Blaske, left guard Aidan Banfield and left tackle Howard Sampson.

The Tar Heels also say bye to backup center Zach Greenberg, freshman Andrew Rosinski and junior Eli Sutton, the latter two of whom aren’t offically listed on the depth chart.

If you thought UNC’s offensive line was thin, it’ll also say goodbye to graduate students Jakiah Leftwich, seniors Willie Lampkin and Jonathan Adorno. These departures will force North Carolina to replace both its left tackles, both centers, two right guards and one left guard.

If the Tar Heels land Young, though, they’re getting an experienced offensive lineman with 34 appearances under his belt. Young’s official Tulsa bio lists him starting two 2023 games at left guard, but I’m sure UNC coaches will have him play anywhere he produces.

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UNC football loses three 2024 starters to the transfer portal

UNC’s football roster will look at least three players different in 2025…

The North Carolina Tar Heels went into their 2024 college football season with plenty of new starters – and later, injuries that forced additional starters into spots.

With the transfer portal opening on Monday, December 9, three of those UNC starters entered their names.

North Carolina starting middle linebacker Amare Campbell, starting center Austin Blaske and starting left guard Aidan Banfield announced their decisions to enter the transfer portal.

Their decisions leave the Tar Heels’ roster even more thin ahead of their Fenway Bowl appearance on Saturday, Dec. 28 against UConn.

Some of the biggest shoes UNC had to fill were at middle linebacker, as Cedric Gray was a 2024 fourth-round NFL Draft selection by the Tennessee Titans.

North Carolina elected to fill Gray’s shoes with Cambpell, a sophomore, who exceeded expectations with 6.5 sacks (tied-most on UNC), 10.5 tackles for loss (second-most), 72 tackles (third-most), two pass deflections and a forced fumble.

Injuries piled up for the Tar Heels along their offensive line, forcing a new rotation seemingly every game. UNC was lucky to have consistency from a pair of starters in center Austin Blaske, who transferred from Georgia in the offseason, plus a freshman in Aidan Banfield.

Blaske won a pair of National Championships at UGA, but mainly played as a reserve, appearing in just 15 games from 2021-2023.

Banfield won the starting job over junior Malik McGowan, but an injury forced Banfield to the sidelines. Still, Banfield started the Minnesota, Charlotte, James Madison, Duke, Pitt and Virginia games.

When North Carolina announces its next head coach, I wouldn’t be surprised to see these three pull their names from the portal, especially if that coach is Bill Belichick.

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Offensive line inconsistencies hurting UNC in JMU and Duke losses

UNC’s current football season mirrors how its offensive line performs.

The North Carolina Tar Heels were extremely lucky to have experienced offensive lines in past seasons, allowing the likes of Sam Howell and Drake Maye enough time to throw and orchestrate explosive offenses.

This year though, particularly in losses against James Madison and Duke, UNC quarterbacks are running for their lives.

Jacolby Criswell was pressured a combined 27 times against JMU and the Blue Devils, leading to some poor decisions. Criswell turned the ball over three times against the Dukes, then tossed a game-ending interception in Durham last weekend.

In North Carolina’s three victories, though, the combination of Criswell, Conner Harrell and Max Johnson were only pressured 13 times.

Facing Pitt won’t get any easier for the Tar Heels, though, as the Panthers average 17 QB pressures per game.

UNC offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey is confident in his linemen despite their recent struggles, noting their continued improvement from the spring, but pointed to how difficult it was trying to engineer a game-winning drive against Duke.

“They’re somewhat on islands,” Lindsey told InsideCarolina’s Evan Rogers. “That’s tough on them, and it’s a two-minute or one-minute situation, and those (opposing) guys are really gassed up to rush the passer. That’s why we try to help them in different ways, but at the end of the day, they are improving. I’ve seen a lot of improvement from, say, since spring when we were doing that. Those guys are getting better each and every week.”

Willie Lampkin is the only returning starter along North Carolina’s offensive line. Left tackle Howard Sampson, now a sophomore, was sparingly used in his two years at North Texas. Graduate center Austin Blaske rarely played at Georgia, left guard Aidan Banfield is a freshman and right tackle Treyvon Green, a sophomore, only played on special teams last season.

Can the Tar Heels’ young offensive line find a way to protect Criswell and help generate a couple victories?

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Former Georgia OT commits to North Carolina

Former Georgia OT commits to North Carolina

14 Georgia Bulldogs have officially entered the transfer portal, while multiple others have announced their intent to do the same.

Junior offensive tackle Austin Blaske entered the portal earlier this month and has already found a new home at North Carolina, he announced on Friday morning.

The 6-foot-5, 310 pound bruiser won the starting left tackle job out of fall camp, but an early injury limited him to only 29 snaps in 2023. Blaske will take a redshirt and have two years of eligibility remaining.

The Faulkville, Ga., native joins quarterback Brock Vandagriff (Kentucky) wide receiver Jackson Meeks (Syracuse) and defensive lineman Jonathan Jefferson (SMU) as Bulldogs who’ve found new homes.

Georgia football OL enters transfer portal

Georgia football OL enters transfer portal

Another Georgia Bulldog has entered the NCAA transfer portal, which officially opened on Monday and will remain open for 30 days.

Redshirt junior offensive lineman Austin Blaske announced his decision to transfer on Monday via X, formerly known as Twitter.

Blaske joins five other Bulldogs that have already announced transfer intentions:

Blaske, a former three-star recruit in the 2020 recruiting class, missed most of the 2023 season due to injuries after earning the starting left tackle role in the preseason.

The Faulkville, Georgia, native will have two years of eligibility remaining due to the COVID-19 year.

Georgia will continue to assess its roster this offseason.

Georgia football player card: OL Austin Blaske

Georgia Bulldogs offensive lineman Austin Blaske starts his college career this season after being a three-star recruit.

Austin Blaske, Offensive Line (No. 58):

Class: Freshman

Height: 6-5

Weight: 280 pounds

Hometown: Bloomingdale, Georgia

High School: South Effingham High School

Georgia Bulldogs offensive lineman Austin Blaske starts his college career this season after being a three-star recruit. Blaske is a member of the class of 2020 and elected to stay in-state at the University of Georgia.

Blaske will likely redshirt in 2020 (if the season is played) based on his recruiting ranking and the stout competition he’ll face to see the field. Blaske has impressive athleticism for a 280 pound offensive lineman:

Georgia’s offensive line is replacing four starters and Blaske will have an opportunity to compete, which is all he can ask for under offensive line coach Matt Luke. He’ll have to beat out players like Xavier Truss, Jamaree Salyer, Warren McClendon, and Warren Ericson to find playing time.

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