Bill Belichick, UNC football receive zero votes in preseason US LBM Coaches Poll
A week later, the Tar Heels learned they will enter the Bill Belichick era without a single vote in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll, which was released on Monday, Aug. 4. It is the first time since the 2019 college football season that North Carolina received zero votes in the preseason Coaches Poll.
The Tar Heels began last season unranked under Mack Brown, but did receive six votes.
REQUIRED READING: College football rankings: ACC teams in preseason US LBM Coaches Poll top 25
While it might have been expected following a 6-7 season and coaching change, the Tar Heels not receiving a single vote is significant, given Belichick, an NFL coaching legend, is leading the team. The votes for the Coaches Poll are comprised of other Division I coaches.
However, it is a reminder of the challenge the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach has in front of him in Chapel Hill, as he embarks on his first season coaching the college ranks.
Coming off a 6-7 season under Brown and interim head coach Freddie Kitchens — now the Tar Heels' offensive coordinator — North Carolina has hit the ground running with rebuilding the roster through the transfer portal. According to 247Sports, North Carolina brought in 40 players from the portal and built the No. 8-ranked transfer class in the country.
The Tar Heels also lost several key players from last year's roster to the portal in the same process, including linebacker Amare Campbell, defensive lineman Beau Atkinson and offensive lineman Zach Rice, among others.
As noted by the Fayetteville Observer, North Carolina didn't have a single player listed on the preseason All-ACC team for the first time in six years. The Tar Heels have also not named a starting quarterback heading into the season, as senior Max Johnson, South Alabama transfer Gio Lopez and highly touted four-star recruit Bryce Baker all remain in the mix for it.
"We have a lot of new players, a little over 40 from the spring and 70 guys that weren't on last year's team," Belichick said at a media availability on Sunday, Aug. 3. "The first portal, we're just trying to find guys to fill the team. Second portal, we're looking for good football players. We felt like any position, if the player wanted to come in and compete — and we thought it was a good player — then this is the right spot for him. We'll give everybody an opportunity to compete. We're going to have to earn our spots on the field."
The Tar Heels' Oct. 4 matchup vs. Clemson is the only scheduled conference regular season game vs. a preseason top 25 opponent. North Carolina is also set to face Syracuse and in-state rivals Duke and NC State this year.
North Carolina will kick off the season with a nationally televised primetime game on Monday, Sept. 1 at 8 p.m. ET against TCU at Kenan Stadium.
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