The injury news that surfaced regarding veteran offensive lineman Austin Blaske was not what fans of the UNC football program wanted to hear.
Blaske, a sixth-year senior, suffered a non-contact injury, one that is being reported as a broken foot. He is set to miss a minimum of two months with the hope that he could be back as early as October 4 when the Tar Heels host Clemson at Kenan Stadium.
Leading up to Bill Belichick's first season at the helm, the offensive line unit saw a massive overhaul. The new regime needed to replace some lost depth essentially across the entire line, as this positional group has a ton of new faces being thrown into the mix.
Even though it wasn't certain that Blaske would be the starting center (given the team was experimenting with him at both guard and tackle as well), he was undoubtedly going to be one of the five offensive lineman trotting onto the field with the first team unit come opening night. However, his injury derailed that, leaving even more flux among this positional group.
Our 2025 UNC football program positional previews continue with the offensive line, a unit that has a ton to prove this upcoming season.
What We Know
The obvious is that Blaske will be sidelined at least two months.
Another important piece of information is that the Tar Heels added eight additions to the offensive line via the transfer portal during both the winter and spring cycles.
Other than Blaske, the Tar Heels did return two notable lineman: Aidan Banfield and Trevyon Green, both of whom started on the left side of the line a season ago.
Key Players
Returning Starters
Aidan Banfield (left guard)
Austin Blaske (center)
Trevyon Green (left tackle)
Notable transfer portal additions
William Boone (Prairie View A&M)
Jordan Hall (UAB)
Cristo Kelly (Holy Cross)
Daniel King (Troy)
Chad Lindberg (Rice)
Myles McVay (Alabama)
Jakai Moore (South Carolina)
Will O"Steen (Jacksonville State)
Outlook
This group features a ton of size, depth, and experience. The main question is simple: what will be the right mix of players to help protect the quarterback and pave the way for the run game to succeed?
Blaske's absence will be impactful, especially as the team looks to find its identity early in the season. The hope is that the group can figure out a way to fill the void in his absence, as it's very possible that we'll see more than five of these guys seeing meaningful playing time as the UNC football program searches for the unit that best fits what the team is looking for from the guys up front.