Reality Check: Why UNC Can't Win With Billy Edwards at Quarterback

Playing quarterback at any level is the hardest job in sports. The number of elements that go into the position and the expectations that come with being the most visible figure on the field at all times can be overwhelming. Only a special group can make it to the highest levels in the NFL.

The North Carolina Tar Heels have been spoiled over the last decade with great quarterback play, whether that be Mitchell Trubisky, Sam Howell, or Drake Maye, who is unquestionably the best of the bunch.

So, you can see why Tar Heels fans have high expectations for the quarterback position, and why the play of current starter Billy Edwards Jr. is so frustrating. On Saturday night, the sixth-year senior had opportunities to create big plays for his pass-catchers and put the game out of reach. North Carolina lost in overtime to the Syracuse Orange, 31-30, and Edwards deserves a big chunk of the blame.

I'll go a step further: the Tar Heels cannot win football games with Edwards at quarterback.

Despite Other Team Mishaps, Spotlight Is on Edwards

An area you could certainly blame for the Tar Heels' loss is their defense, which had been playing great for much of the season, though Saturday night was the first time they missed starters Tre Miller, Peyton Waters, and Kaleb Cost in the secondary as the Orange generated big plays on the ground and through the air.

Yet this was a winnable game. The Tar Heels took a 10-point lead in the third quarter, but as the game went along, Edwards began missing throws and wide-open pass-catchers. A hint of pressure caused him to break down in the pocket, drop his eyes, and go into chaos mode. Two passes that would've gone for first downs rolling to his left were thrown into the dirt unintentionally because Edwards couldn't torque his hips and make a routine throw on the move.

This isn't the first time this has happened. While Edwards has not turned the ball over in the last two weeks and has had his highest passing total of the year (271 yards), routine and fundamental aspects required to play the position were lackluster. His pre-snap and post-snap reads were inconsistent at best, and he had two near-interceptions.

Here are some positives about Edwards, though: he's generally accurate at all three levels of the field, his arm talent is good enough to get by, and when he does make accurate throws, he can give his playmakers like Jordan Shipp a chance to produce. I'm impressed with how well Edwards manages the pocket at times, so there are some good elements that he brings to the Tar Heels.

Which is it: UNC can't win games with Edwards, or can they get by with him? It's a little bit of both, with a good lean toward the former. You have to make the throws to win games, even as a game manager; give your team and pass-catchers a chance to make them in space and put your offense in a winning situation.

Unfortunately, North Carolina Might Be Stuck

The issue here is that coach Bill Belichick and offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino may have no choice but to keep Edwards as their starter. He is the most experienced of the backups, Miles O'Neill and true freshman Travis Burgess. However, when you're taking your quarterback off the field on a fourth-and-goal in the fourth quarter and electing for a field goal, it shows how much confidence, or lack thereof, the coaches have in him.

Fans are wondering why the Tar Heels didn't make a bigger push to keep Gio Lopez, who is having a great season at Wake Forest. At the time, this program wasn't an attractive destination after last fall, and regardless of who the coordinator was, Lopez likely didn't want to stick around. My suggestion is not to hire Freddie Kitchens in the first place if you want to have a functioning offense, but that might just be me.

This is where we are with the Tar Heels offense: an inconsistent quarterback who struggles with pre- and post-snap reads, doesn't handle pressure well, and an offense full of playmakers that could help them score 30 points a game.

It must be better, point blank. Edwards has to do better, but for now, the Tar Heels cannot win games consistently with him at quarterback, and a change must be considered at some point.