How Bill Belichick can revitalize UNC football

By / Devy & College Football / Leave a Comment
Bill Belichick, UNC Tar Heels, UNC Football, North Carolina Tar Heels, North Carolina Football, The League Winners

On Wednesday, it was officially announced that former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick would become the new head coach of the UNC Tar Heels football team – credit to Oliver Connolly who first broke the news.

Belichick’s father, Steve Belichick, was an assistant coach at UNC from 1953-1955.

Upon taking the job, the former Patriots coach stated, “I am excited for the opportunity at UNC-Chapel Hill. I grew up around college football with my Dad and treasured those times.”

To the surprise of none, that decision has already been met with controversy. Yet despite the belief that Belichick may be too old, or out of his league as a college football coach, there are a multitude of reasons as to how he can revitalize the North Carolina football team.

A man obsessed is one worth investing in

Prior to taking the job at UNC, Belichick did something intriguing during the interview process: he sent a 400-page nonnegotiable manifesto to North Carolina. Belichick stated in his introductory presser for UNC that this was not true. However, considering Connolly has been accurate in his reporting up to now, there’s little reason to believe that report is false.

At first glance, it seems ridiculous, and perhaps insane. However, this is something that has always been in the former Super Bowl champion’s wheelhouse.

In the written plan, it lays out organizational structure, payment plans, staffing choices, and much more. And to be honest, you have to admire a man who’s that thorough – or obsessed – with the task in front of them. Whether or not it ultimately works, remains to be seen. However, the process is sound and well-thought out, even if naysayers proceed to disagree.

And, perhaps to the surprise of some, UNC investors, boosters, athletic director and trustees all managed to get on board with Belichick’s plan.

As Connolly mentions, Belichick’s descent on to the college football ranks is reminiscent of San Francisco 49ers’ coaching legend Bill Walsh coaching at Stanford in the 1990s. Some coaches remain obsessed with the game, even when the NFL passes them by. This is the case with Bill Belichick, and why it’s not surprising (and the right thing) for him to take the UNC job. Belichick stated as much in his introductory press conference on Thurdsay.

“Well, it beats working. When you love what you do, and my dad told me this, when you love what you do, it’s not work. I love what I do, I love coaching. I love the interaction with the players. Love building a team, working with assistants, game planning, the game itself, which, there’s some good ones, there’s some bad, but they’re all learning experiences.”

That obsession will have a trickle down effect into the rest of the program. A win-at-all-cost mentality not only will embolden the entirety of the Tar Heels, but force their competition to get better, too.

Bill Belichick brings NFL pipeline to UNC

For some reason, those who believe Belichick will fail at North Carolina think it will be due to recruiting. Yet, that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Given his history and reputation in the league, UNC instantly becomes a pipeline for players who desire to play football at the NFL level. On top of that, Belichick’s coaching staff will be riddled with NFL experience – something most programs can’t offer.

Unlike other programs, Belichick doesn’t need to extend false promises or pitches to recruits or transfer players. The Belichick name alone carries its weight in gold, and does the heavy lifting for recruits serious about playing at a full-time level.

Belichick may not “chase” the five-star recruiting options, but he doesn’t need to. In fact, they may go to him regardless. And, one could argue that a team full of hungry three-star athletes may compose a better team and environment than one full of blue chip prospects with extended leeway. You won’t see the same incidents at UNC that you see at Georgia. You won’t see it swept under the rug, either – and that should mean something for the integrity of the sport.

We’re already starting to see the Belichick-effect happen in real time, too.

Jared Curtis, a top quarterback prospect of 2026 stated, “[Belichick is] arguably the greatest coach of all time. Definitely want to get up there and meet him!”

And rest assured, fans will be seeing more comments like this regarding Belichick and UNC.

This isn’t a spur of the moment decision

To some, Belichick going to UNC feels wrong. After all, the former Patriots head coach was just 15 wins away from owning the record for most victories in the NFL. On top of that, he has no experience at the college level. However, Belichick isn’t going into this decision blind.

Speaking on Thursday, Belichick declared that coaching in college has always been a dream of his.

“Always wanted to coach college football. It just never really worked out. I’ve had some good years in the NFL. So that was okay, but this is really kind of a dream come true.”

The 72-year old spent the last year studying the college landscape. That includes recruiting, NIL, finding people he wants in the organization, and everything in between.

One move to help in this regard was hiring Michael Lombardi to be general manager of the Tar Heels. Lombardi has vast experience as a scout and player personnel executive. He also has experience working with Belichick previously.

The primary job of Lombardi will be to handle NIL and other expenses, with a hand in scouting. That will be a massive load off of Belichick’s shoulders. It allows him to focus on the game – and players – itself. The former Patriots’ coach acknowledged how important Lombardi would be in the process, too.

“So grateful to have Michael [Lombardi] with me in this process. Michael and I have worked together going all the way back over 30 years, and he has a great knowledge of the general manager role. In this type of position, in terms of scouting two sets of players, high school players and college portal players, as well as dealing with some version of what’s called salary cap, which is now part college football.”

So while some have responded with Belichick’s commitment with shock, the decision becomes less surprising as the pieces of the puzzle come together.

With that said, there’s a possibility that Belichick leaves for the NFL after 2025. However, if that were to occur, the line of succession would likely involve his son, who he wanted to have take over when he left, regardless.

A higher standard to North Carolina

One area where Bill Belichick can help UNC is raising the standard of success at the program. Despite having one of the easiest strength of schedules in college football, the Tar Heels have won just one bowl game since 2017. North Carolina hasn’t won an ACC title since 1980, and they’ve lost 11 of their last 14 bowl games.

A big reason why Mack Brown was brought back was to return UNC to its glory days. And while he did have some success in his second stint, the Tar Heels came up short far too many times in big moments. The change from a 73-year old to a 72-year old may seem miniscule at the moment. However, it’s the standard we know Belichick will set going forward that will be the difference.

The results of Belichick at UNC remain to be seen. However, there’s no question that the standard of excellence will be set upon his arrival. Now, a lot depends on how players will take to that message, too. Yet, if they buy in, the prestige of a Belichick-led team could push UNC into the College Football Playoffs. They have to win first, but nothing is impossible now for the Tar Heels. And if Belichick can turn UNC around, his name will be etched in two football history books.

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