Legendary NFL coach Bill Belichick is officially entering the college football world after being hired as the newest North Carolina football coach earlier. The six-time Super Bowl champion is second only to Don Shula in NFL regular-season wins, but he told reporters he always wanted to coach in college. Belichick is replacing Mack Brown, who was fired after a 6-6 season despite being the winningest coach in school history. Brown finished with a 113-79-1 record overall and a 44-33 record in his second stint with the Tar Heels.
Belichick has already announced Michael Lombardi, a former NFL executive, as the general manager of the North Carolina football team. The Tar Heels have not won an ACC title since 1980, but expectations for the North Carolina football roster will be much higher following this coaching hire. If you want the latest UNC football news now that Belichick is calling the shots for the Tar Heels, be sure be sure to see what the proven team of insiders are saying at InsideCarolina, the 247Sports affiliate that covers UNC.
The InsideCarolina insiders have been breaking news in this search for weeks, and they are providing on-the-ground updates on every development surrounding Belichick and the the future of the UNC football program, including insights from Adam Smith, Evans Rogers and Buck Sanders, who have deep-rooted ties inside and around the UNC community. Get all the inside scoop on the football program, plus VIP intel on UNC football, basketball, recruiting and more. Plus get access to The Tar Pit and the UNC Basketball premium message boards where you can connect with other UNC fans and insiders.
And right now, InsideCarolina is offering 50% off annual subscriptions*, so now is the time to sign up. The team at InsideCarolina already has the latest on all of Belichick’s moves. Head to InsideCarolina now to see them all.
North Carolina football roster news
The Tar Heels are expected to invest a significant amount of money into the football program, with the NIL budget reportedly increasing by five times the previous amount. The transfer portal is already open, so Belichick and his new staff will be going to work right away.
Offensive lineman Austin Blaske started at center all but one game this season before entering the portal two days ago. However, Blaske decided to remove his name from the portal as Belichick was finalizing the deal on Wednesday, giving the Tar Heels a key returning piece up front heading into the offseason. Wide receivers Kobe Paysour and Gavin Blackwell entered the portal on Friday, as they get set to test the open market.
Paysour had 19 receptions for a career-high 330 yards in 12 games this season, which was his fourth campaign with the Tar Heels. Blackwell finished with just four receptions for 43 yards this season after notching 18 catches for 239 yards two years ago. Belichick is one of the biggest names in the sport, so his staff should have no problem finding replacements from the portal. Get more UNC football roster updates at InsideCarolina.
How to get insider UNC football updates
The InsideCarolina team is bringing up-to-the minute updates on the latest transfer portal targets, how Belichick’s hiring impacts recruiting and news on which coaches will join Belichick in Chapel Hill. You can only get it all at InsideCarolina.
Who is UNC targeting in the transfer portal, and what will Belichick’s first staff at UNC look like? Go to InsideCarolina to get all the latest UNC football news, all from a team of dialed-in UNC insiders, and find out.
And reminder, InsideCarolina is offering 50% off an annual VIP membership, so subscribe now before it’s too late.
*Terms: This offer is only available for new members who sign up for an annual subscription to InsideCarolina. After the first year, subscription will re-bill on an annual basis at the regular rate. 247Sports.com reserves the right to alter or cancel this promotion at any time. Please write support@247sports.com with any questions you may have.