Despite extending their bowl streak to six consecutive seasons, the North Carolina Tar Heels experienced more struggle than success during the 2024 college football season.

UNC entered the year with first-time starters at several positions, most notably quarterback and wide receiver. North Carolina started 3-0, lost four straight games, won its next three and clinched bowl eligibility against Wake Forest, then endured another late-season collapse with three consecutive losses.

One Tar Heel who struggled, in particular, was starting kicker Noah Burnette. A year after making 19-of-20 field goal attempts and establishing himself as one of college football’s premier kickers, Burnette dipped to a 15-of-21 mark on field goals in 2024.

Wanting a fresh start for his final year of eligibility, Burnette previously entered himself in the transfer portal.

Burnette decided on his next destination Saturday, January 11, choosing to end his collegiate career 2025 College Football Playoff finalist Notre Dame.

The Fighting Irish address an immediate with Burnette’s addition, as their current kicker, Mitch Jeter, is playing out his extra COVID year. Notre Dame will undoubtedly miss Jeter, the South Carolina transfer originally from Salisbury, NC, who is 7-of-8 on field goals and 8-of-8 on extra points in the CFP.

Burnette’s strong 2023 campaign earned him a preseason Lou Groza Award nomination, which is given annually to the best kicker in college football.

UNC will likely enter the fall with a kicking competition, returning Lucas Osada from this season’s team and bringing in Michigan transfer Adam Samaha.

Osada was North Carolina’s kickoff specialist in 2024, with 59 kicks traveling 3,709 yards. Samaha made one extra point during the Wolverines’ 52-7 stomping of Indiana in 2023, redshirted that same season and didn’t appear in 2024.

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