It's amazing what productive quarterback play can do for a football team. The North Carolina Tar Heels are quickly discovering that through the first two games of their 2026 season, with Wisconsin transfer Billy Edwards throwing for 200 yards in each victory.
Edwards completed 16 of 28 passes for 232 yards during UNC's 15-10, Week Zero upset of TCU, but without a touchdown.
On Saturday, as North Carolina controlled ETSU from opening kickoff in a 35-3 victory, Edwards completed 15 of 20 passes for 244 yards. Edwards also threw his first touchdown passes in Carolina Blue: one to big play tight end Jelani Thurman, then a second to running back Benjamin Hall.
After the Tar Heels' massive win, Edwards discussed what it means to get that first TD pass
under his belt.
“It felt really special," Edwards said. "It’s pretty cool to see. I think we ran that naked bootleg there and I hit Jelani (Thurman). Shamar (Easter) did a great job blocking. CJ (Sadler) was coming over on a boot route and did a great job blocking. Really just encapsulating a great, full team effort play there. Obviously, we have a great skill group, whether it’s the tight ends, backs or receivers. We threw the ball five yards and we took it 25, 35 yards. It was special. Obviously, with my journey and my career, it’s always good to get that first one under the belt and kind of get rolling per se.”
Edwards spent the first three seasons of his collegiate career at Maryland, enjoying his best campaign to date in 2024 (2,881 passing yards, 15 touchdowns). An injury cut Edwards' 2025 short in Wisconsin, but he now gets another chance to prove himself in Chapel Hill.
As UNC progresses throughout 2026, which is starting with plenty of promise, how Edwards plays will be a key to future victories.
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: Billy Edwards details his first touchdown pass as UNC's quarterback
