North Carolina begins its journey under Bill Belichick with a spotlight – and plenty of uncertainty

By Canadian Press on August 21, 2025.

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Bill Belichick brings a résumé with six Super Bowl titles as an NFL head coach to his first foray into college coaching at North Carolina.

His arrival was something of a spectacle, one teeming with pressure for a team that will play under a spotlight tied to Belichick’s mere presence on the sideline.

“For all of us, it’s control what we can control,” Belichick said as the Tar Heels opened preseason camp. “Whoever’s here or isn’t here, that’s out of our control. We have a job to do. We have a lot of work to accomplish.”

Change is afoot, from Belichick’s staff featuring sons Steve and Brian as assistants along with former NFL executive Michael Lombardi as general manager, to 70 new players since the school parted ways with longtime coach Mack Brown last year. It is all part of UNC’s bet on elevating its football program, including signing the 73-year-old Belichick to a five-year deal — with the first three years guaranteed at $10 million in base and supplemental salary.

“He’s coached at the highest level,” receiver Jordan Shipp said. “He’s coached the greatest players of all time. So it’s just like, you want to do what he’s telling you to do. … It’s worked for so people, so why wouldn’t it work for me?”

The first payoffs have come with off-field attention, such as his debut being a Labor Day game in a college version of Monday night football, or having a 2026 game in Ireland. Those types of benefits, along with selling out all season and single-game tickets, were expected.

On the field? Things are more unclear. The Tar Heels (6-7 last year) are picked to finish eighth in the 17-team Atlantic Coast Conference.

“At the end of the day, we’ve got to go out there and play football,” said defensive back Thaddeus Dixon, a transfer who played under Steve Belichick at Washington. “He can’t make no plays.”

QB focus

South Alabama transfer Gio Lopez entered camp as the expected front-runner to become the starting quarterback after committing in the spring. The 6-foot redshirt sophomore threw for 2,559 yards and 18 touchdowns while also running for 463 yards and seven scores last year.

“All I can prove is if we put a W in the column, then I’m fine with that,” Lopez said, “That’s all that matters to me.”

The Tar Heels also have senior Max Johnson, who has battled back from a serious leg injury in last year’s opener against Minnesota, along with freshmen Bryce Baker and Au’Tori Newkirk.

Following Hampton

Omarion Hampton was UNC’s engine last year, running for 1,660 yards and 15 touchdowns to become a second-team Associated Press All-American and the 22nd overall pick in the NFL draft.

There’s no obvious successor, either.

Fifth-year senior Caleb Hood is back with 471 career yards rushing, while Davion Gause ran for 326 yards last year as a freshman backup to Hampton. The Tar Heels also have a returnee in Charleston French (84 yards last year), Michigan transfer Benjamin Hall (141 career yards) and four freshmen.

Improvement needed

Belichick’s defensive background would in theory help reverse long-running defensive problems in Chapel Hill going back to Larry Fedora’s final two coaching seasons. From 2017-24, UNC ranks 96th nationally among Bowl Subdivision teams in scoring defense (29.5) and 102nd in total defense (411.0), according to Sportradar.

UNC defensive coordinator Steve Belichick oversaw a defense at Washington that allowed 23.8 points and 328.4 yards per game last year.

The schedule

Belichick’s debut comes against TCU on Labor Day, while the ACC opener is a visit from the preseason league favorite in fourth-ranked Clemson (Oct. 4).

The Tar Heels have their first cross-country league trip with a Friday night visit to California (Oct. 17), then close the schedule with instate opponents: at Wake Forest (Nov. 15), home against Duke (Nov. 22) and at N.C. State (Nov. 29).

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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Aaron Beard, The Associated Press