“I don’t have a definitive answer in regards to when he’s going to come back, but he’s progressing fast and really well.”
That’s how Hubert Davis summed up Seth Trimble’s injury status last week. Trimble has been out after playing the first two games of the season. The update offered a mix of hope and uncertainty — encouraging progress, but still no clear return date.

But even a week later, Hubert Davis still isn’t ready to give a firm return date for his captain. On his first radio show of the year, as shared by Rodd Baxley on X, Davis revisited the topic and said, “He’s doing really well. He’s working out, he’s running. He’s doing individual workouts every day, and he’s getting closer and closer to getting back out there on the floor.”

Trimble suffered the injury during a team workout in a freak accident that left him with a broken bone in his left forearm. The senior guard had surgery soon after, and early expectations suggested a 6–8 week recovery window, meaning he likely wouldn’t return until early January or even later. But this latest update brings real hope.

We mentioned last week that Pat Welter reported that Trimble’s surgery went well and that a mid-December return was possible. But now there’s even more news on his timeline. Jon Rothstein shared on X that people inside the program believe their captain could be back in time for the start of ACC play. Hubert Davis’ side open their conference slate on December 30 against Florida State, so mark your calendars– that could be the night the senior guard finally returns.

Before going down with the injury, Trimble was averaging 14.5 points, five rebounds, and 3.5 assists through his first two games. Against Kansas, he reminded everyone why he’s one of the best defenders in the country, holding Darryn Peterson in check for most of the night and even earning praise from Bill Self.

Getting Trimble back will give the Tar Heels the exact defensive boost they’ve been missing and something they’ll desperately need as they push deeper into the season. Speaking of which, even without Trimble, the Tar Heels still moved up in the AP Top 25 rankings.

Hubert Davis’s side rise in rankings

The Tar Heels (8–1) kicked off the week with a tough road test at Rupp Arena against No. 18 Kentucky. It was a tight battle from start to finish, but one they ultimately won by 3 points. They followed that up with a commanding 81–61 win over Georgetown at the Dean Dome.

Those two victories helped the Tar Heels climb from No. 16 to No. 14 in the latest AP Poll.

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While Derek Dixon stole the headlines this week, hitting the game-winning layup at Rupp Arena and then posting a season-high against Georgetown, the engine of this UNC team remains the frontcourt. Freshman star Caleb Wilson is putting up 19.3 points and 10.6 rebounds per game, and junior big man Henri Veesaar continues to shine with 16.2 points and 9.2 boards.

Hubert Davis’ 2025-26 is already miles ahead of where they were last season. Their 2–1 Quad 1 record is already better than last year’s 1–12 mark, which had everyone questioning UNC’s tournament bid a year ago. But this group is far more polished, far more connected, and far more dangerous.

This team finally has depth, and they’ve shown it even without their captain on the floor. But can the Tar Heels keep building and make another deep postseason run under Coach Davis? What do you think? Let us know in the comments down below!