North Carolina starting center Austin Blaske enters NCAA Transfer Portal

North Carolina starting center Austin Blaske has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal after one season with the Tar Heels.

Prior to his time in Chapel Hill, Blaske played four seasons at Georgia where he was previously a reserve lineman for the Bulldogs. He was on the roster for the 2021 and 2022 national championship victoriesand played in 18 total games while with UGA.

The 6-foot-5, 310-pounder played more than 700 snaps in his lone year with the Tar Heels while starting in 11 games for Mack Brown and Co.

Pro Football Focus gave Blaske a pass-block grade of 85.6 for the season.

Tar Heels seeing portal exodus, could have new coach soon

He becomes the eighth UNC player to officially enter the NCAA Transfer Portal after the Tar Heels fired head coach Mack Brown earlier this month.

Blaske is joined by freshman offensive lineman Aidan Banfield, star linebacker Amare Campbell, freshman offensive tackle Andrew Rosinski, backup quarterback Conner Harrell, senior running back Caleb Hood, redshirt freshman running back Jordan Louie, and redshirt junior offensive tackle Eli Sutton.

More are sure to come as the program searches for its new head man. And that search could be coming to an end soon, with former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick reportedly having significant interest in the opening.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Belichick interviewed for more than five hours via Zoom with the Tar Heels’ search team.

“From my vantage point, the talks with North Carolina are real,” Schefter said on The Pat McAfee Show. “I understand he met with them yesterday for five hours. I don’t think you spend five hours after days of discussions with the university if there’s not something to it. Now, whether or not North Carolina can put together a package that’s attractive and compelling enough for a Bill, whether that’s ultimately what he decides to do, we’ll see. 

On Sunday, Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall reportedly told school officials he will not be pursuing another job this cycle.

Other early candidates, such as former Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith and Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell, also appear unlikely to be interested in the job.