​UNC football doesn’t labor under high expectations heading into 2026. Last season’s August anticipation has given way to this season’s August apathy. The buzzword for UNC football during camp has been “improvement,” as if the program, after last season’s closing whimper against NC State, had anywhere to go but up. That game felt like rock bottom.Without diving too deep into the dysfunction of last season, here are three reasons to feel better about UNC football this season as the first kickoff looms in five days.UNC football actually had normal spring and summer practices this time around.UNC football last season was a disorganized mess heading into and during spring ball. “It was very stressful,” said a former member of the staff. “Everyone was running around like chickens with their heads cut off.” Example: GM Michael Lombardi brought in Ryan Browne to be the starting quarterback, but after watching him during spring practice, Lombardi and Belichick paid him to go away and brought in Gio Lopez. At ACC media days last month, Belichick admitted that last year’s spring practice never built a sufficient foundation for the program to have player-led practices over the summer. So, UNC didn’t really start preparing last season’s offense until August, conceding months of preparation to the opposition. If you’re wondering why UNC barely resembled an FBS football team in the opening month of the season, start there.This season, UNC’s roster experienced a normal spring practice. Those players then built upon the spring installs with summer player-led practices. If nothing else, expect UNC at least to look and execute like a normal football program out of the gate this season.UNC football seems to have much better identity and leadership this time around.Last season’s opening embarrassments led to a locker room revolt after the Clemson game, as tensions brewing during those months of dysfunction spilled over. While players hate losing, they hate being clowned even more. The full impact of program mismanagement and the total circus — Lombardi’s “33rd NFL team” arrogance, Jordon Hudson’s hunger for attention and affirmation, the on-field results — became too obvious to wish away. While the team rallied somewhat through the middle part of the schedule, the wheels came off again down the stretch. The team accrued nearly half its penalties on the season in the last four games, 23 for 232 yards against Duke and State alone. The defense and special teams allowed 10 touchdowns and a field goal in 15 drives (not including end-of-half kneel-downs) to Duke and State. They’d largely quit.This year, the team seems much more cohesive, which relates to the work and belief that started with winter workouts and spring ball. Last year, it felt like the players didn’t know what they were playing for much of the time. This season, players have been sweating side by side for months with clear purpose and structure. In turn, that