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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Questions Abound at UNC with Bill Belichick at Center of Attention
Questions Abound at UNC with Bill Belichick at Center of Attention originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach Bill Belichick leaving the NFL for the college game was a big enough story to spike interest in North Carolina, an oft-middling ACC program. But the ensuing media storm surrounding the 73-year-old's relationship with 24-year-old Jordon Hudson has seen the attention on Chapel Hill ratchet up. Advertisement In a recent 'SportsCenter' appearance, Belichick said his girlfriend 'doesn't have anything to do with' UNC football after an awkward 'CBS Sunday Morning' interview in which she shut down a question. For as much off-field intrigue as the program has garnered in recent weeks with Belichick and Hudson in the spotlight, questions remain about the Tar Heels' on-field product ahead of their first season without coach Mack Brown in charge since 2018. 'Honestly, no one really has any idea what to expect on the field when they start this season,' an anonymous ACC assistant said in Athlon Sports' 2025 College Football Preview magazine. These comments were made in the Tar Heels' exclusive scouting report in Athlon's annual magazine, which is available for purchase online and at newsstands nationwide. North Carolina coach Bill Belichick and girlfriend Jordon Hudson have made headlines in recent weeks after a viral "CBS Sunday Morning" Lee-Imagn Images North Carolina is coming off a 6-7 campaign and a fifth consecutive bowl loss. The program only has one season with double-digit wins (11-3 in 2015) since the end of Brown's first go-around in 1997. But Belichick, a future Pro Football Hall of Famer, could turn things around if he catches on fast at the college level, which functions a bit differently than the league where he made his hay for the past five decades. Advertisement 'How Bill [Belichick] adjusts to the structure of the college game is gonna be crucial,' the scout said. 'It's less time you get with the players, which means it's less football intelligence.' The Tar Heels signed the 36th-ranked high school recruiting class, a step down from recent years. But their transfer haul more than makes up the difference. UNC's 40-player portal class is ranked ninth by 247 and is littered with Power 4 talent. 'The real interesting piece we're watching is how [GM Michael] Lombardi and the coaches approach the NIL portion,' the ACC assistant coach said. There have been reports that North Carolina is not throwing around money in the same fashion that some other FBS programs are in the NIL era with revenue sharing on the horizon. But Belichick's portal haul speaks for itself. The chance to play for the greatest defensive mind in NFL history is surely an attractive prospect, too. Six-time Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Belichick takes over a Tar Heels team that has never won an ACC championship.© Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images UNC has been branding itself as the NFL's '33rd team' with Belichick and Lombardi planning to bring their pro experience and approach to campus. Those comments caught the eye of the anonymous assistant coach in their league. Advertisement 'They've been vocal about criticizing other programs on how they spend and evaluate,' the coach said. 'There's talk about how they're going to become an advanced, pro-level scouting program that implements NIL better. We'll see. We do expect a better overall haul from these guys in high school recruiting than from Mack [Brown], at least until the novelty wears off or Bill gets a bad reputation.' It's fair to question whether Belichick's reputation already has taken a hit. And attention on him, Hudson and the Tar Heels will only ramp up in the lead-up to their Sept. 1 season opener against TCU when the Belichick era truly begins. Related: ACC Football: Predicting the Best Game Every Week in the 2025 Season Related: ACC Coaches Talk Anonymously About Conference Foes for 2025 Related: Athlon Sports 2025 College Football Preview Magazine Available Now This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Times
14-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Can Nebraska use Michigan's slight as fuel to snap an unfortunate streak?
LINCOLN, Neb. — On Nebraska's climb back to national relevance, or simply its quest to achieve a winning regular season, a hurdle stands in front of the Huskers that might be cleared early next season. And if it happens, if the Huskers beat Michigan in the Sept. 20 Big Ten opener for both schools and if the Wolverines are nationally ranked at the time of their visit to Memorial Stadium, the end of a depressing, nine-year streak would come for Nebraska with a sweet side dish of validation. Advertisement Nebraska has lost an unthinkable 27 consecutive games against opponents ranked in the Associated Press Top 25, dating back to a 2016 win against Oregon. It's the second-longest active streak in the Power 4 and the longest for the Huskers since the 1936 introduction of the poll. The previous mark of 15 games extended from 1941 until a 1952 win against Kansas. No, the streak did not end last year when Nebraska beat Colorado. The Buffs finished the 2024 season ranked in the final six polls, but they were unranked at the time of kickoff. And Michigan is no lock to enter the Week 4 clash with a number beside its name. The Wolverines checked in at No. 18 in The Athletic's way-too-early Top 25. But a Week 2 loss at Oklahoma could knock Sherrone Moore's team — which capped an 8-5 record last year with wins against Ohio State and Alabama — out of the rankings. Ranked or not, Michigan ought to draw extra ire from Nebraska for a move that came to light last week. Michigan is pushing to suspend Moore for the Week 3 and Week 4 games against Central Michigan and Nebraska for his misdeeds in the sign-stealing saga that occurred on the watch of former coach Jim Harbaugh. The NCAA accused Moore, then the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach, of deleting text messages in 2023 from Connor Stalions, the former staffer at the center of the investigation into allegations of improper advanced scouting. Moore's punishment is not final. Michigan officials won't comment on an active investigation. The NCAA could rule that a two-game suspension is not sufficient. The organization could hit Moore with a longer suspension and order him to serve it from the start of the season. In one scenario, he'd get three games and return to the sideline on Sept. 20. Regardless, the damage is done. The insult has been delivered. Moore and Michigan picked Nebraska over Oklahoma to sit the coach. Advertisement Moore played at OU. The Sooners plan to recognize him as part of Michigan's first trip ever to Norman. But would Michigan have done the same if its conference opener came at Oregon or Penn State? To arbitrarily select the third and fourth games, knowing the stakes of a league game are higher, is an affront to Matt Rhule and the Huskers. Michigan is essentially saying, 'We can handle Nebraska without Moore.' Maybe the Wolverines don't need their coach. They've got an edge in talent. Michigan won at Penn State and beat Ohio State without Harbaugh in 2023. It won all six games, in fact, in which he was suspended, then carried the momentum to a national championship. Nebraska may possess the final opportunity to make Michigan pay on the field. The two most recent meetings in this series ended in 45-7 and 34-3 Michigan wins. The next game sets up more like 2021 in Lincoln, when the ninth-ranked Wolverines eked out a 32-29 victory. Memorial Stadium, no matter the streaks in play, poses a stumbling block for any QB in his first Big Ten game. Bryce Underwood, the hyped freshman who's vying for the top spot in Ann Arbor, could stand to have his coach alongside, especially if the Wolverines' visit is selected to kick off under the lights. The entire episode elicits the kind of pompous stench that has long prompted ill feelings toward Michigan — a sentiment magnified by the actions and attitudes that led to the investigation at hand. For Nebraska, the stench comes from those 27 consecutive losses against ranked foes. Michigan is the third most common opponent in the streak, responsible for four of the Huskers' defeats. Wisconsin has done it five times, and Ohio State has seven wins as a ranked Nebraska opponent since 2016. Some other data on the streak: • Twenty-four of the 27 losses came against Big Ten opponents. Colorado (once) and Oklahoma (twice) have also contributed. Fourteen came on the road, 13 at home. Nebraska has suffered a loss in every game window. The fifth game of a season is the most common place for a defeat against a ranked opponent. It's happened four times. Advertisement • Two came in overtime: The first loss, in 2016 at No. 11 Wisconsin, and the 25th, against No. 24 Illinois last season, after the Huskers missed an open receiver in the end zone and shanked a field goal in the final three minutes of regulation. • Nebraska was ranked in three games involved in the streak. Four games were played on Friday. • Eleven of the 27 defeats came by 8 points or fewer; eleven came by 21 points or more. The average margin of defeat is 20.2 points. • Rutgers owns the longest active streak among P4 teams at 41 games. It dates back to 2009. After Nebraska, Indiana (14 games), Cal (13) and Northwestern (11) complete the top five. • Historically, the Huskers are aiming to avoid more dubious achievements. Kansas State lost 33 consecutive games against ranked opponents from 1981 to 1993. Iowa State was 0-42 from the start of the AP poll until 1972. Northwestern lost 46 consecutive games, from 1972 to 1991. Duke lost 47 straight, from 1995 to 2012. Vanderbilt lost 56 in a row, from 1992 to 2006. It beat No. 16 Georgia on the road to snap the skid. Comparatively, the task for Nebraska appears manageable. The streak needs to end in 2025 for Rhule to stay on track in building the Huskers. To snap it against Michigan would deliver delight in Lincoln — and perhaps at various stops around the Big Ten. (Photo of Sherrone Moore: Rick Osentoski / Imagn Images)
Miami Herald
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Dolphins add another productive Power 4 defensive lineman. And draft pick update, Ramsey
Miami Dolphins Dolphins add another productive Power 4 defensive lineman. And draft pick update, Ramsey In their continued search for bulky run-stuffers on their defensive front, the Dolphins have added a fourth 300-plus pound rookie defensive lineman. Tre'vonn Rybka, a productive defensive lineman at Kentucky, agreed to a deal as an undrafted rookie that included $10,000 guaranteed, according to a source. He becomes the 16th undrafted rookie to sign with the Dolphins; none had been announced as of midday Wednesday. Rybka, who is listed at 6-4 and 310 pounds, played in 48 games and started 25 times in four seasons with the Wildcats. He had 95 tackles (including 11.5 for loss), five sacks and a forced fumble. He started all 12 games last season and finished with 34 tackles (including five for loss), three sacks and a forced fumble. The Dolphins have added four defensive linemen through the draft process — first-round pick Kenneth Grant (the 6-4, 331-pound Michigan product is a likely rookie starter), fifth-round pick Jordan Phillips (the former Maryland player is 6-2, 312 pounds), Rybka and undrafted South Carolina rookie Alex Huntley. Huntley — 6-4, 305 pounds — had 82 tackles, including eight for loss, and four sacks in five seasons and 50 games for the Gamecocks. Rybka was a three-star recruit and 247 Sports' No. 53 defensive tackle in the 2020 class coming out of Dickson County High School in Tennessee. Big Brothers, Big Sisters of the Bluegrass named him 'Big Ambassador of the Year' in 2024 for his commitment to mentoring young people. Sieler, Brewer weigh in The Dolphins will be holding weekly Zoom sessions with players this month, and Zach Sieler was asked to address the team's tardiness issue and what the Dolphins say is a mutual decision to try to trade cornerback Jalen Ramsey. Asked if he agrees with the Dolphins saying that trading Ramsey is in the best interests of both parties, he said: 'Ramsey is a great player. Everyone knows that. What he's done is nothing but amazing. That's not my decision, not my realm. I don't know what happened there. I look forward to the best for both parties.' Referring to Ramsey and Arizona-bound Calais Campbell, Sieler said: 'It's tough losing guys of that caliber. Two great players.' Regarding the tardiness problem last season and the team's culture and whether it has improved, Sieler said: 'If we're going to be here, we're going to be here. We're going to be on time and ready to work, not just halfway going through things.' Center Aaron Brewer, the other player who spoke to reporters Wednesday, said more players have been staying later to work during the first three weeks of the offseason program. ▪ Brewer said of new guard James Daniels, the standout veteran lineman added in free agency: 'I love James. He's a football junkie. I like his mentality toward football. Film wise, he's on it. You can talk football with the dude all day. He wants everything to be right. I watched his film when he was in Pittsburgh, and he can move. He's got that motor in him, that finish.' Draft pick update Nick Korte, compensatory pick expert, said the Dolphins could get a compensatory fourth-round pick in next April's draft, as a result of free agent losses and additions. Any free agents signed for the remainder of the year do not count toward the compensatory pick formula. Next year, the Dolphins have all their picks, plus a third-rounder from Houston (from the trade made on April 26), plus that potential compensatory pick, and a possible pick that could be involved in a potential Jalen Ramsey trade. The Dolphins continue efforts to trade Ramsey, who wants out of Miami. ▪ The Dolphins haven't announced who will be at their rookie camp this weekend, but Miami Hurricanes players Sam Brown (a receiver) and Zach Carpenter (a center) accepted invitations to try out. So did former UM offensive lineman John Campbell, who played 32 games at UM and then 22, over two seasons, at Tennessee. Among others invited for tryouts: Rhode Island defensive back Branden Price, Kentucky tight end Jared Casey, Brown tight end Mark Mahoney, West Virginia interior lineman Nick Malone, Jackson State defensive end Phillip Webb and Oregon linebacker Jestin Jacobs. Unlike the draft picks and the 16 players who have or will sign contracts with the Dolphins, the tryout players do not have contracts. Last year, the Dolphins offered contracts to two of the 27 players who tried out at rookie minicamp: Wisconsin cornerback Jason Maitre and Rutgers offensive lineman Ireland Brown. Maitre spent time on the Dolphins' practice squad last season and is now on the roster. ▪ The Dolphins wanted BYU cornerback Jakob Robinson in the undrafted rookie market, but he signed with the 49ers. He had 11 interceptions in five college seasons. But Miami is very happy with the two undrafted rookie cornerbacks it added: UCF's BJ Adams and Minnesota's Ethan Robinson. Fifth-round pick Jason Marshall, the former Florida Gator, is the other new rookie cornerback. ▪ The Dolphins have deals with 94 players, including retiring Terron Armstead and guard Bayron Matos, who has a roster exemption. They will need to make multiple roster moves by the start of minicamp on Friday. The NFL offseason roster limit is 90. This story was originally published May 7, 2025 at 1:15 PM.
New York Times
24-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Which Power 4 programs lost the most talent in the spring transfer portal window?
The 10-day spring transfer portal window traditionally is not as loaded with talent as the winter window. Most Power 4 rosters have had position needs met by now, and NIL budgets are usually tapped out by the time April rolls around. Yet, we've continued to see movement as players look for a boost in pay or a fresh start on a depth chart elsewhere. It's hard to call any P4 program a winner or loser at this point in the process (the portal window closes end of day Friday for both graduates and undergraduates), but it's fair to say some programs have been hit harder by departures than others. Advertisement Yes, Tennessee lost quarterback Nico Iamaleava to essentially a contract dispute, but the SEC, for the most part, was unscathed by losses during the spring window. Here's a look at eight programs that lost notable players. The Cougars have had 10 players enter the portal during the spring window, and two stand out as notable losses. Linebacker Harrison Taggart had 69 tackles, one sack and one interception over 12 starts in 2024. Receiver Keelan Marion, an electric return specialist, ranked third on the team with 24 catches for 346 yards, and he returned two kickoffs for touchdowns last season as well. Of Cal's 17 departures this spring, three were full-time starters on offense. Tight end Jack Endries (Texas) led the team in receiving (56 catches, 623 yards). Receiver Jonathan Brady (36 catches, 386 yards) started 12 games. Running back Jaydn Ott (Oklahoma) was a 1,300-yard rusher in 2023. Three other departures started at least one game in 2024 — receiver Mavin Anderson (11 career starts), leading rusher Jaivian Thomas and safety Ryan Yaites. Cal GM Ron Rivera spoke on the situation with running back Jaydn Ott who left the Bears for Oklahoma after spring ball came to a close. "Did we give Jaydn Ott a great shot? I believe we did." — Cal Rivals (@CalRivals) April 21, 2025 Mike Norvell has not stopped reshaping his roster following a 2-10 season. Four of the nine players who left this spring started games for the Seminoles in 2024, including the only five-star recruit in the Norvell era — receiver Hykeem Williams, who started eight games and caught 21 passes in his two-year career in Tallahassee. Former LSU receiver Jalen Brown, who started two games in 2024, was reportedly dismissed from the team last weekend following an arrest. Terrence Ferguson, a 2024 transfer from Alabama and former top-100 recruit, entered the portal after starting seven games for FSU at left guard this past fall. Jaylen Earl, another former blue-chipper who started six games on the offensive line in 2024, entered the portal on April 14. Advertisement Willie Fritz has had some solid transfer portal victories since taking over the Cougars, including landing tight end Tanner Koziol this spring after he left Wisconsin. But it's not often that a first-team All-Big 12 selection like safety A.J. Haulcy hits the market this time of year. Haulcy, who signed with New Mexico out of high school, led the Cougars with five interceptions and ranked second with 74 tackles last season. He's made 33 career starts. The Cougars also lost cornerback Jeremiah Wilson, who started eight games in 2024 and was second on the team with four interceptions. The Terrapins have lost eight players to the portal this spring, including four to Big Ten and SEC schools. The most notable were starting linebackers Caleb Wheatland (Auburn) and Kellan Wyatt (Indiana). Wyatt started 28 games in his career at Maryland and led the team with 7.5 tackles for loss last season. Wheatland started 11 games and led the Terrapins with four sacks in 2024. Two of Maryland's best young linemen also left for new homes. Terez Davis, a freshman who started two games at left tackle, was picked up by Ole Miss. Defensive lineman Lavon Johnson, a second-year player, was signed by Texas. You knew coach Bill Belichick was going to tinker with the Tar Heels roster quite a bit, and that's continued this spring. North Carolina has had an ACC-high 25 departures this spring, but nine are former walk-ons and all but five were reserves for the Tar Heels last season. The notable losses are Ohio State-bound edge rusher Beau Atkinson, the team leader in tackles for loss (12) and sacks (7.5), and linebacker Amare Campbell, who started 12 games in 2024. Redshirt freshman receiver Christian Hamilton, a four-game starter in 2024, left for West Virginia. When coach Troy Taylor was fired on March 25, it opened the door for other teams to grab key pieces from the Cardinal's roster. Five players have left Palo Alto since, including edge rusher David Bailey (Texas Tech), center Jake Maikkula (Oklahoma), receiver Emmett Mosley V (Texas) and safety Julian Neal (Arkansas). Neal was around for only a few months after transferring from Fresno State during the winter window. Advertisement Bailey led the team with seven sacks, and Mosley was the top returning receiver (48 catches, 525 yards, six TDs). There was speculation that Bear Bachmeier, a four-star QB signee in the Class of 2025, was heading to the portal, but he was reportedly practicing with the team earlier this week. The Orange might have found their next starting quarterback, signing Notre Dame transfer Steve Angeli on Wednesday, but they suffered some significant personnel losses this spring. Ten players departed, including four who have Power 4 starting experience. The most notable are receiver Trebor Pena, who led the ACC with 84 catches for 941 yards and nine touchdowns last fall, and freshman defensive tackle Maraad Watson, who transferred to Texas after starting 11 games in 2024. Enrique Cruz Jr., who started 13 games at left tackle in 2023 for Syracuse, and David Wohlabaugh Jr., who started three games at left tackle in 2024, are the others. (Photo of Justin Wilcox: Darren Yamashita / Imagn Images)
New York Times
23-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
What the spring transfer portal window has told us about these unsettled QB situations
The transfer portal always has a way of revealing a program's true feelings about its roster. Spring practice reps also provide quarterbacks with a better understanding of where they stand on the depth chart. We're in the final stages of the spring portal window, a time when those two factors mentioned come to a head. While most Power 4 schools came into the spring fairly settled at quarterback, there were a few programs with questions remaining at the position. Advertisement Let's evaluate what this spring's transfer portal movement has told us about some previously unsettled quarterback situations. Starter Max Brosmer exhausted his eligibility following last season, which left the Golden Gophers with two candidates for the starting job — redshirt freshman Drake Lindsey and Georgia Tech transfer Zach Pyron, who was signed during the winter portal window. Lindsey had a leg up because he already had a season in the system, but he attempted just five passes in 2024. Pyron was more experienced. He appeared in 19 games and attempted 155 passes over three seasons at Georgia Tech, but he is extremely raw as a passer (56.8 career completion percentage, five touchdown passes and seven interceptions). Well, the competition didn't last long. Pyron entered the transfer portal last week, and the Alabama native landed back in his home state at South Alabama. While Lindsey's path to the starting role seems pretty clear, Minnesota will move forward with a fairly inexperienced quarterback group unless it adds a veteran. Steve Angeli, CJ Carr and Kenny Minchey were involved in a competition this spring to replace departing starter Riley Leonard. Angeli was the backup the past two seasons and played well in a pinch during the Fighting Irish's Orange Bowl win against Penn State. But he must've seen the writing on the wall that he wasn't going to win the starting role because he entered the transfer portal last week, paving the way for a two-man race between Carr and Minchey. Both players are former four-star prospects, but both played just four snaps last season. Notre Dame has started a transfer quarterback in each of the past two seasons. It's off that carousel now and will roll with a pretty green starter no matter who wins the job. For what it's worth, Carr is the favorite to start and impressed in the spring game. Advertisement This was one of the more compelling quarterback situations in the country, mainly because of the intrigue surrounding Bill Belichick and his vision for the program. Max Johnson opened last season as the starter but suffered a significant leg injury in the first game, so it's difficult to tell how he'll bounce back. Four-star freshman Bryce Baker, a top-100 national recruit, has promise. Purdue transfer Ryan Browne spent a few months with the program before transferring back to play for the Boilermakers. None of the options were super tantalizing, and — without saying it explicitly — the staff confirmed that by bringing in South Alabama transfer Gio Lopez, who passed for 2,559 yards, 18 touchdowns and five interceptions while rushing for 463 yards and seven scores in 2024. Lopez is experienced and the leader in the clubhouse for the starting role. His arrival will allow the staff to bring Baker along slowly. Lopez's transfer also opened the door for Pyron to land at South Alabama. Excited and grateful, go Heels!🐏 @UNCFootball — Gio Lopez 7️⃣ (@lopezgio1) April 18, 2025 The Orange are another program with an inexperienced quarterback group. LSU transfer Rickie Collins seems to have a leg up, but redshirt freshman Jakhari Williams is also in the mix. The two have combined to throw seven passes in their college careers. So it shouldn't be surprising if Syracuse kicks the tires — at the very least — on quarterback options this spring. On3 reported that Angeli visited this week, and Syracuse is in the mix for the Notre Dame transfer. Collins has a head start in the offense, which Angeli will have to overcome, but if he does end up transferring to Syracuse, it's clear that coach Fran Brown wanted more competition at the quarterback position. Advertisement The Volunteers' quarterback situation was settled. And then all of a sudden, it wasn't when the Nico Iamaleava drama surfaced. Tennessee cut ties with Iamaleava, who transferred to UCLA. The Vols had just two scholarship quarterbacks after Iamaleava's departure — redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger and freshman George MacIntyre. Merklinger attempted nine passes last season. So the position was short on bodies and experience. Iamaleava's transfer to UCLA led to a shakeup on the Bruins' roster. Appalachian State transfer Joey Aguilar, who was UCLA's projected starter, entered the portal Monday and the expectation is he'll land at Tennessee. He'll be by far the most experienced option but will have to compete with players who have more time in the system. The Volunteers experienced their fair share of drama this spring but appear to be on stable ground. (Photo of Steve Angeli: Michael Reaves / Getty Images)
