From the very start of the season, Bill Belichick’s presence at North Carolina has sparked more than just football talk. One figure often spotted at Tar Heels games is Belichick’s girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, and not everyone approves.
Former NFL coach Jon Gruden openly criticized the situation, ripping into Belichick for allowing Hudson on the sideline during the UCF matchup. Speaking on the Wake Up Barstool podcast, Gruden mocked the optics and even took a shot at UNC general manager Mike Lombardi, with whom he has a history of personal feuds.
The drama only fueled an already tense atmosphere around Belichick’s first year at the college level.
CBS Sports captured the on-field reality in blunt terms: Belichick’s hire is being labeled one of the most disastrous in recent memory. Through four games, the Tar Heels sit at 2-2 but have been dismantled whenever facing Power Four competition, being outscored 82-23.
The latest debacle, a 34-9 road loss to UCF, was a new low against a Knights squad projected to be one of the weakest in the Big 12. For UNC fans, the comparison is painful: under Mack Brown, bowl appearances were the standard, but now the program is flirting with its worst season since 2003.
Belichick’s transition from the NFL to college football was always going to be a project, but the gap between reputation and results has been glaring.
The Tar Heels’ offense has sputtered, producing just 217 yards against UCF, while the defense has been equally overwhelmed. Belichick even lost starting quarterback Gio Lopez during the second half, leaving Max Johnson to finish a game that was already out of reach.
The fallout extended off the field, too. Belichick referred to UCF as “Central,” a slight that drew a heated response from head coach Scott Frost. Afterward, Belichick conceded his team had been thoroughly outplayed.
“Too many turnovers, penalties, missed tackles,” he admitted. “They were just better than us.” His message, though, did little to soothe growing concerns in Chapel Hill.
For now, the Tar Heels limp into a bye week before facing a struggling Clemson squad. Whether that matchup provides an opportunity to reset or yet another setback remains to be seen.
What’s clear is that Belichick’s arrival, once hailed as bold, now looks like a gamble with little payoff, and patience in Chapel Hill is running thin.
