UNC football, Bill Belichick see three more players depart roster
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- UNC parts with three players: Yasir Smith, Pryce Yates and William Boone.
- Departures rise to at least seven this fall amid transfers, injury and retirement
- Tar Heels seek first Power 4 win before hosting No. 16 Virginia at Kenan
Three more UNC football players – true freshman tight end Yasir Smith, former UConn standout Pryce Yates and offensive tackle William Boone — are no longer with the football team, a UNC spokesperson confirmed to The News & Observer on Tuesday night.
Yates, the fifth-year senior edge rusher and former Husky, only played in one game this season. He played in the 38-10 loss to Clemson on Oct. 4 and assisted on three tackles. Yates was one of the top transfer pickups under head coach Bill Belichick, listed as a four-star transfer and a top-100 transfer overall per 247Sports.
Boone, the 340-pound offensive lineman who transferred from Prairie View A&M, suffered a lower-body injury in UNC’s 41-6 victory over Richmond on Sept. 13 and has been out since.
Smith, unlike Boone and Yates, did not see any game action this fall. The 6-foot-5, 265-pound freshman from Summerville, South Carolina, was listed as a three-star prospect per Rivals.
Smith, Yates and Boone are part of a growing group of departures from the UNC football team. At least seven players have left the program so far this fall, including wide receivers Paul Billups and Aziah Johnson, as well as offensive tackle Trevyon Green. Running back Caleb Hood, who scored the first touchdown of the Belichick era on the opening-drive touchdown against TCU, announced earlier this month he was retiring from football.
The Tar Heels (2-4) are still in search of their first win against a Power 4 opponent. North Carolina hosts No. 16 Virginia (6-1, 3-0 ACC) on Saturday at Kenan Stadium.
This story was originally published October 21, 2025 at 8:18 PM.
