Inside Carolina: A UNC athletics podcast

With the financial investment into head coaches with professional experience in both football and basketball, Inside Carolina senior reporter Greg Barnes joins Tommy Ashley to discuss the evolving expectations for North Carolina's athletic programs in the new era of college athletics.

Barnes notes that while eight wins were once a reasonable expectation for football, those significant financial investments, including the hiring of Bill Belichick, now necessitate higher standards. Similarly, Barnes believes that with Michael Malone's high salary, Carolina Basketball's level should include top ten expectations every year with legitimate chances to win national championships regularly.  

Visit the No. 1 site for UNC sports coverage and community: http://www.InsideCarolina.com

Founded in 1994, Inside Carolina is universally viewed as the authority on Tar Heel sports and recruiting. With relentless, unparalleled year-round coverage, and the largest online community of always-engaged UNC fans, the slogan is true: “There is no offseason at Inside Carolina.”

**Call to Action:**
**Subscribe:** Follow 'Inside Carolina' wherever you get your podcasts to never miss an episode!
**Review:** Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help us reach more Tar Heel fans!
**Visit:** Explore http://www.InsideCarolina.com for breaking news, recruiting updates, and expert commentary on all things UNC sports.

This show is brought to you by Inside Carolina, the No. 1 site for UNC sports coverage and community. Visit http://www.InsideCarolina.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Inside Carolina senior reporter Greg Barnes joins Tommy Ashley to discuss the recent news that the NCAA Tournament will likely expand to include 76 teams going forward for what is considered an attempt to provide more access to the crown jewel of the NCAA - March Madness.  

Barnes and Ashley highlight the money aspect of the move, the dilution of the product and discuss the possible reasoning for this expansion beyond the obvious money grab from the NCAA in an effort to pay off the monies owed under the House Settlement that came down in 2025.

Visit the No. 1 site for UNC sports coverage and community: http://www.InsideCarolina.com

Founded in 1994, Inside Carolina is universally viewed as the authority on Tar Heel sports and recruiting. With relentless, unparalleled year-round coverage, and the largest online community of always-engaged UNC fans, the slogan is true: “There is no offseason at Inside Carolina.”

**Call to Action:**
**Subscribe:** Follow 'Inside Carolina' wherever you get your podcasts to never miss an episode!
**Review:** Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help us reach more Tar Heel fans!
**Visit:** Explore http://www.InsideCarolina.com for breaking news, recruiting updates, and expert commentary on all things UNC sports.

This show is brought to you by Inside Carolina, the No. 1 site for UNC sports coverage and community. Visit http://www.InsideCarolina.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

North Carolina's second spring practice session under Bill Belichick wrapped last week and the Tar Heels appear to be a more cohesive group across the board - from the players to the coaching staff. Bill Belichick's hiring of Bobby Petrino has given life to the potential for improvement in year two even with the much tougher schedule on the horizon in the fall.

Inside Carolina's senior reporter Greg Barnes joins Tommy Ashley to compare notes on how spring practice looked in Chapel Hill and how those takes and information may shape the opinions heading into the 2026 season.

Visit the No. 1 site for UNC sports coverage and community: http://www.InsideCarolina.com

Founded in 1994, Inside Carolina is universally viewed as the authority on Tar Heel sports and recruiting. With relentless, unparalleled year-round coverage, and the largest online community of always-engaged UNC fans, the slogan is true: “There is no offseason at Inside Carolina.”

**Call to Action:**
**Subscribe:** Follow 'Inside Carolina' wherever you get your podcasts to never miss an episode!
**Review:** Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help us reach more Tar Heel fans!
**Visit:** Explore http://www.InsideCarolina.com for breaking news, recruiting updates, and expert commentary on all things UNC sports.

This show is brought to you by Inside Carolina, the No. 1 site for UNC sports coverage and community. Visit http://www.InsideCarolina.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

UNC has made a loud salvo in an attempt to fill the void in the post for next season as 7-footer Sayon Keita has pledged to Michael Malone's Tar Heels. Keita is a consensus future NBA player, but is incredibly young. That said, the talent is undeniable and will be available for the UNC staff to maximize next season in Chapel Hill. 

Sherrell McMillan and Sean Moran join Joey Powell to talk about the latest commitment to Carolina Basketball. 

Visit the No. 1 site for UNC sports coverage and community: http://www.InsideCarolina.com

Founded in 1994, Inside Carolina is universally viewed as the authority on Tar Heel sports and recruiting. With relentless, unparalleled year-round coverage, and the largest online community of always-engaged UNC fans, the slogan is true: “There is no offseason at Inside Carolina.”

**Call to Action:**
**Subscribe:** Follow 'Inside Carolina' wherever you get your podcasts to never miss an episode!
**Review:** Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help us reach more Tar Heel fans!
**Visit:** Explore http://www.InsideCarolina.com for breaking news, recruiting updates, and expert commentary on all things UNC sports.

This show is brought to you by Inside Carolina, the No. 1 site for UNC sports coverage and community. Visit http://www.InsideCarolina.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

North Carolina head coach Scott Forbes has his Diamond Heels riding high after a series win at rival Duke, but a tough midweek schedule and the exam 'break' always presents different challenges for Forbes, his coaching staff and his team.

On their weekly conversation, Forbes joins Inside Carolina's Tommy Ashley  to discuss how his group handles this portion of the season, the tough matchups they see in the midweek and how the one-off Duke game on Sunday in Boshamer helps his team stay sharp through the end of the year exam period.

Visit the No. 1 site for UNC sports coverage and community: http://www.InsideCarolina.com

Founded in 1994, Inside Carolina is universally viewed as the authority on Tar Heel sports and recruiting. With relentless, unparalleled year-round coverage, and the largest online community of always-engaged UNC fans, the slogan is true: “There is no offseason at Inside Carolina.”

**Call to Action:**
**Subscribe:** Follow 'Inside Carolina' wherever you get your podcasts to never miss an episode!
**Review:** Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help us reach more Tar Heel fans!
**Visit:** Explore http://www.InsideCarolina.com for breaking news, recruiting updates, and expert commentary on all things UNC sports.

This show is brought to you by Inside Carolina, the No. 1 site for UNC sports coverage and community. Visit http://www.InsideCarolina.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.