There’s no denying how disappointing the 2025 UNC football season was. With Bill Belichick’s arrival as head coach, North Carolina generated more preseason hype than ever before.
The Tar Heels played to a 4-8 record, only beating two Power Four teams in Stanford and Syracuse. UNC’s offense struggled in particular, highlighted by inconsistent offensive line production and spotty quarterback play.
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In hopes of elevating its 2026 offense, North Carolina hired former Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino to be its offensive coordinator.
On Monday afternoon, USA TODAY Sports’ Blake Toppmeyer tabbed Petrino one of his eight, most memorable offseason coordinator hires.
“What is it about coaches on the hot seat thinking Petrino can save them,” Toppmeyer wrote. “Jimbo Fisher tried it at Texas A&M. Didn’t work. Sam Pittman tried it at Arkansas. Didn’t work. Now, it’s Belichick’s turn with Petrino riding shotgun. If Belichick flops in Year 2, UNC’s cost to fire him would be just about $10 million, small potatoes in this landscape. With Beli’s job on the line, he’s turning to a coordinator whose best work occurred a decade ago with Lamar Jackson in Louisville. There’s no Jackson on this roster. To put it bluntly, it’s tough to see a Belichick-Petrino union flourishing. At least there’s only one way to go for UNC’s offense, which was pitiful last season.”
Petrino has six head coaching stops between college and the NFL, spending 2025 as Arkansas’s offensive coordinator and interim head coach. Despite the Razorbacks not winning a single SEC game last season, Petrino’s offense ranked 19th nationally with 454.8 yards per game.
Names to watch on the Tar Heels‘ 2026 offense include running back Demon June, wide receiver Jordan Shipp, plus quarterbacks Billy Edwards and Taron Dickens. Just like its 2025 campaign, North Carolina has plenty spots up for grabs – and the hope is Petrino can elevate its offense this fall.
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC OC Bobby Petrino one of eight most memorable offseason hires
