Bill Belichick thankful to be coaching UNC, highlights team growth at ACC Kickoff
Larry Fedora fizzled out. Mack Brown didn't work during his second stint. This offseason, the UNC football team went big with its latest head coaching hire: 8-time Super Bowl Champion Bill Belichick.
Despite never previously coaching at the college level, Belichick's NFL resumé speaks for itself. He turned the New England Patriots from a decent franchise into the NFL's most-feared dynasty, developing the greatest football player to walk this earth in Tom Brady.
Belichick is no stranger to the Tar Heels, though. Belichick's dad, Steve, was an assistant coach in Chapel Hill from 1953-1955.
At the ACC Kickoff event on Thursday afternoon in Charlotte, Belichick spoke about the opportunity to come back and coach college football, digging in on player development.
'I've always wanted to coach in college – and I'm glad to have the opportunity to be at a great school like Carolina," Belichick said in front of a packed media room. "The great thing about working with college players is the growth and development that I've seen with them. Developing players is really what coaching is. We take great pride in that. A Carolina player is a player who wants to be a good football player, who wants to work hard, who wants to make a commitment towards improving on a regular basis, both training and team execution on the field."
UNC hired Belichick back in December 2024, so he's now going on month seven working with his new players. Several people are expecting a championship-caliber Tar Heels team in 2025, but it all depends on how Belichick develops his guys.
The first opportunity for North Carolina fans – and the entire college football world – to see offseason development pay off will be Monday, September 1 at 8 p.m. in Kenan Stadium. UNC hosts TCU in the final game of Week 1, on ESPN, under the lights.
Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
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