UNC football lands first transfer portal commitment under Bill Belichick

Bill Belichick’s first transfer portal commitment includes some offensive line help.

With their recent hiring of Bill Belichick as head football coach, the North Carolina Tar Heels are expected to attract some of the transfer portal‘s top available talent.

On Monday, December 16, one of the portal’s top FCS players committed to play his final year of college football in Chapel Hill.

Christo Kelly, a former Holy Cross team captain who started 22 games at center for the Crusaders, announced his commitment to UNC via his X account.

In those 22 starts, during which Holy Cross won a fifth-consecutive Patriot League title and made the FCS playoffs, Kelly played 778 snaps.

Kelly immediately fits into North Carolina’s roster. He can either complement Austin Blaske at center, start in place of the graduating Willie Lampkin or go wherever Belichick puts him.

If there’s one thing you need to know about Belichick, it’s that he gets the most out of his players. Just look what he did in his 24 years coaching the New England Patriots, when the roster didn’t carry a bunch of big-name stars, but wins still came aplenty.

Michael Lombardi, UNC’s new general manager, praised Kelly’s commitment.

“We’ve got to get offensive and defensive linemen,” new UNC GM Michael Lombardi told InsideCarolina’s Don Callahan. “At the end of the day, we’re going to build a football team the same way we’ve always built a football team — inside out. Those are the pillars that we’re going to start, stress and build on. That’s the first action that we have to take. It’s not about adding players. It’s about building the team.”

The Tar Heels dealt with plenty of injuries along their offensive line in the 2024 regular season, with its constant rotation a reason Jacolby Criswell kept running for his life.

With Kelly’s commitment part of a suddenly-deep offensive line, North Carolina will be better suited come injuries in 2025.

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UNC and NFL legend Julius Peppers applauded at Hall of Fame Game Thursday night

Julius Peppers, who starred at UNC from 1999-2001 but ended his NFL career as a Hall-of-Famer, made a special appearance at the Hall of Fame Game on Thursday.

Saturday, August 3 is going to be a special day for seven former football stars, as they’ll hear their names called during the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024 induction ceremony.

All-Pro return man Devin Hester and star wide receiver Andre Johnson, both of whom played for the ACC’s Miami Hurricanes, are two of the more recent inductees to play in an NFL game. You also have a pair of legendary defenders in linebacker Patrick Willis and edge rusher Dwight Freeney, linebacker Randy Gradishar, Super Bowl-winning defensive lineman and – last but not least – former North Carolina Tar Heels standout Julius Peppers, who has the fourth-most NFL sacks all-time.

Peppers held the rare distinction of being a 2-sport athlete at UNC, playing both basketball and football. The latter was his calling, though, with Peppers recording 30.5 carer sacks in Chapel Hill, being named First Team All-ACC twice and winning the Chuck Bednarik Award in 2001.

Peppers was even better as a pro. Along with his 159.5 sacks ranking fourth all-time, Peppers made the Pro Bowl nine times, was a 3-time First Team All-Pro and the 2002 Defensive Rookie of the Year.

While Peppers waits to hear his name called during Saturday’s induction ceremony, he enjoyed a special moment before the Hall of Fame Game on Thursday, Aug. 1.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C-Jk0Txtc5Q/?img_index=1

It’s customary for inductees to spend the week before in Canton, Ohio – where the Pro Football Hall of Fame is – but it feels even more special to see Peppers there.

What’s even more bittersweet for Peppers, is the fact he got to walk out before his Chicago Bears played. Peppers suited up in Chicago from 2010-2013, though he spent 10 of his 17 years with the Carolina Panthers.

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Several UNC football players tabbed Preseason All-American and All-ACC

The North Carolina Tar Heels could surprise some people on the gridiron this coming season.

Roster-wise, the 2024 UNC football season is going to look significantly different.

Gone are 2023 stars Drake Maye, Devontez Walker and Cedric Gray to the NFL. North Carolina will have a new starting quarterback for the first time in three years, a decision that has yet to be made between Jacolby Criswell, Max Johnson and Conner Harrell, while there isn’t a ton of experience in the wide receiver room behind J.J. Jones and Nate McCollum.

The Tar Heels return plenty of stars, though, headlined by running back Omarion Hampton and jack linebacker Kaimon Rucker. Whichever QB wins the starting job should take advantage of UNC’s deep tight end room, including Bryson Nesbit, John Copenhaver and Texas A&M transfer Jake Johnson.

Just over two months away from North Carolina’s season-opener – Thursday, Aug. 29 at 8 p.m. ET in a rematch with Minnesota – several Tar Heels made college football analyst Phil Steele’s Preseason All-American and All-ACC teams.

Hampton, a Preseason First Team All-American and All-ACC honoree, led the ACC and finished fifth in the country with 1,504 rushing yards last year.

Rucker, a Preseason First Team All-ACC and Fourth Team All-American honoree, led the Tar Heels with 15 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks last season. Nesbit, also a Preseason First Team All-ACC and Fourth Team All-American, paced UNC’s tight end room with 585 receiving yards and finished second overall with five touchdowns.

Alijah Huzzie, a Preseason First Team All-ACC honoree, led North Carolina with three interceptions last year. He also had the Tar Heels’ lone return touchdown.

Power Echols, a 2023 starting linebacker who formed a formidable 1-2 tandem with Gray, recorded 102 tackles last season. That is most amongst returners.

Willie Lampkin, who rounds out the Preseason honors with his Third Team All-ACC Honors, started all 11 games he appeared in last year on the Tar Heels’ offensive line.

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PHOTOS: Cedric Gray at 2024 NFL Scouting Combine

Cedric Gray, a 3-year starting linebacker for UNC, was one of many invitees at the 2024 NFL Combine. Check out some flicks of him.

This past weekend was a dream come true for several college football players, who attempted proving their skillsets to professional teams at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Most notably, players participated in drills like the 40-yard dash, vertical jump and bench press. There’s plenty more sessions, but these seem to be the areas NFL scouts look into the most.

There’s a few former UNC players who participated in the NFL Combine, such as star linebacker Cedric Gray. The in-state product reached 100 tackles in each of his three years as a starter, plus he nabbed first team All-ACC honors in the 2022 and 2023 campaigns.

Gray was often a bright spot on a historically struggling defensive unit. He showcased a rare ability to wrap up the ballcarrier, while also acting as a main cog in the passing game.

With how productive he was as a Tar Heel, Gray is almost certain to be selected in the 2024 NFL Draft. NFL Mock Draft Database has Gray as a fourth-round pick, though his play could easily get him a third or second-round selection.

Will Gray’s 4.66 40-yard dash help his case to rise up the boards? Will teams take a chance on Gray?

Whoever chooses Gray is not only getting a talented linebacker, but a proven leader who’s a great team player. Let’s check out a couple of Gray’s Combine photos:

UNC was ranked ahead of current CFP team at one point

Isn’t it hard to believe that UNC was in a better spot for the College Football Playoff than Alabama? After six weeks, such was the case.

Another UNC football season that started out with so much promise, another UNC football season that ended with so much disappointment.

While the year is technically not over yet, as the Tar Heels take on West Virginia in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl on Wednesday, Dec. 27, UNC was once considered an ACC and fringe College Football Playoff contender.

Carolina was 6-0, riding high with wins against South Carolina, App State, Minnesota, Pitt, Syracuse and a ranked Miami squad. UNC quarterback Drake Maye truly looked like a Heisman contender, but it was the then-improved Tar Heel defense catching people’s attention.

UNC was playing so well that, in the AP Poll released after Week 6, it was one spot ahead of current CFP team Alabama.

Isn’t that tough to imagine? The Tar Heels, who currently are 8-4 and look like one of the ACC’s coldest teams, were once ahead of college football’s greatest powerhouse. The Crimson Tide were dealing with a quarterback conundrum and inconsistent offense, leading many to question if Nick Saban’s reign as college football king was over.

As sports always go, particularly in college football this year, that short-lived fame didn’t last long. UNC continued a disturbing trend of cold finishes, while Alabama looked a lot more like one of the country’s best.

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Tayon Holloway latest Tar Heel to enter transfer portal

The UNC football teams needs all the defensive assistance it can get. One of its 2023 defensive starters, unfortunately, is transferring.

As explosive as the UNC football team is offensively, that same team struggles significantly on the defensive side of the football.

The Tar Heels gave us fans life early in the season – sacking South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler nine times in Week 1, holding Syracuse to single-digits and limiting Minnesota QB Athas Kaliakmanis to a less-than 50% completion rate.

That excitement was short-lived, as a then-1-win UVA team torched UNC for 436 yards in a Cavaliers upset. The following week on Halloween Saturday, Georgia Tech exploded for 635 yards in a Yellow Jackets win.

Point being – Carolina needs all the defensive help it can get. With transfer portal season alive and well, the Tar Heels will need to attract defensive players.

It’s not a good sign when UNC is losing defensive players, which is exactly what happened on Tuesday afternoon.

Tayon Holloway, a redshirt-freshman starting cornerback, announced his decision to enter the transfer portal.

Holloway, a Virginia Beach native, appeared in every game but the Campbell and Duke ones. He totaled 19 tackles (16 solo, 1.5 for loss) and one pass breakup, with his best game coming in the opener against South Carolina (four solo tackles, one for loss).

Will Holloway go back to his home state of Virginia, play somewhere else in the ACC or head far away? Stay tuned in our transfer portal tracker.

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UNC football ends regular season out of US LBM Coaches Poll

The UNC football program ends the 2023 regular season out of the US LBM Coaches Poll after another loss.

It was a season in which the North Carolina Tar Heels started ranked in the US LBM Coaches Poll and opened up 6-0. With that 6-0 start and a ranking at No. 10 overall, the Tar Heels were thinking ACC title and potentially a big bowl game.

But in the span of two weeks that all fell apart with back-to-back losses to Virginia and Georgia Tech. Although they rebounded to beat Campbell and Duke, the Tar Heels ended the regular season with losses to Clemson and NC State.

Now, they are ending the regular season out of the US LBM Coaches Poll. 

UNC dropped out with the loss to Clemson and was hoping to end the season on a high note against NC State, potentially climbing back in the polls. But that’s not the case.

Here is the full US LBM Coaches Poll following Week 13.

Rank Team Record Points Change
1 Georgia 12-0 1,571 (61)
2 Michigan 12-0 1,460 (1) +1
3 Washington 12-0 1417 +2
4 Florida State 12-0 1403 +1
5 Oregon 11-1 1278 +1
6 Ohio State 10-1 1250 -4
7 Texas 11-1 1226
8 Alabama 11-1 1182
9 Missouri 10-2 1034 +1
10 Penn State 10-2 967 +1
11 Ole Miss 10-2 937 +1
12 Oklahoma 10-2 895 +1
13 LSU 9-3 780 +1
14 Louisville 10-2 716 -5
15 Arizona 9-3 681 +1
16 Notre Dame 9-3 602 +1
17 Iowa 10-2 553 +2
18 Tulane 11-1 549
19 Oklahoma State 9-3 253 +2
20 North Carolina State 9-3 303 +4
21 Oregon State 8-4 253 -6
22 Liberty 12-0 236
23 Tennessee 8-4 209
24 SMU 10-2 135 +1
25 James Madison 11-1 79 +5

Schools Dropped Out

No. 20 Kansas State

Others Receiving Votes

Toledo 68; Clemson 64; Utah 54; Kansas State 54; Troy 25; Kansas 15; West Virginia 10; UNLV 4; San Jose State 1; New Mexico State 1;