{
  "id": 3294416,
  "title": "Billy Edwards Jr. set to start at QB for UNC after injury-shortened year at Wisconsin",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/25/billy-edwards-jr-set-to-start-at-qb-for-unc-after-injury-shortened",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-25T15:45:48.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/billy-edwards-jr-set-start-154548104.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Chapel Hill, N.C. — Billy Edwards Jr. is set to begin playing quarterback for North Carolina after a shortened season at Wisconsin due to injuries. As the starter for Coach Bill Belichick’s second college season, Edwards emphasizes the importance of minimizing risk and steadily moving forward, a lesson he learned from Belichick himself. \"One of the phrases I got taught as a younger player that kind of stuck with me is mitigating risk,\" Edwards said. Belichick chose Edwards as the starting quarterback for their Week Zero game against TCU in Dublin, Ireland, marking his return from an injury-shortened year with the Badgers. Following his redshirt season at Wake Forest in 2021, Edwards played three years at Maryland, where he threw for 2,881 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2024. However, he transferred to Wisconsin last year in search of a new fit, appearing in only two games. Edwards suffered a knee sprain in Wisconsin's opener against Miami (Ohio) and missed two games before returning to play against Maryland, exiting on his second series. With just 16 passes thrown during his Wisconsin career, Edwards focused on consistency during his recovery. Coach Belichick highlighted that Edwards had limited experience from the 2024 season, but his presence during spring practice provided a significant advantage. Edwards will play a crucial role in UNC’s offensive transformation, especially with the appointment of new coordinator Bobby Petrino. To prepare for the new offense, Edwards studied diligently, creating over 1,000 flashcards to memorize the playbook. His first challenge will be against the Horned Frogs, a team that beat UNC 48-14 during Coach Belichick’s debut season. Edwards acknowledges the challenges of adapting to a new offense, finding it both humbling and enjoyable.",
  "summary": "Bill Belichick named Billy Edwards Jr. as his starting quarterback for the Week Zero game against TCU in Dublin, Ireland, which will mark his return from an injury-shortened year with the Badgers.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "Billy Edwards Jr. set to start at QB for UNC after injury-shortened year at Wisconsin",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/24/billy-edwards-jr-set-to-start-at-qb-for-unc-after-injury-shortened",
        "published": "2026-08-24T20:43:35.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}