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One of the biggest stories in college football this season is what will happen to the North Carolina football program and Bill Belichick. It was easily the most significant offseason hire, but the Tar Heels are a massive question mark as we get closer to the season. The Tar Heels have talent and one of the best coaches in the history of football, but the question is still whether this will work.
On Thursday's episode of “Get Up,” ESPN senior college football writer Heather Dinich said that the North Carolina football team is the biggest mystery in college football. They have a roster full of transfers and new players that Belichick brought over, and that followed him from across the country.
Dinich said, “Even Bill Belichick doesn't know what he has. His players haven't put on the pads yet, particularly on the offensive and defensive lines. This is an unheralded roster full of unproven transfers and unproven playmakers. It's also an entirely new defense. The biggest thing they have going for them is a manageable schedule.”
The move to North Carolina, seemingly shocked everyone in Belichick's orbit, including his oldest son, Steve Belichick, who is now with the Tar Heels as the defensive coordinator.
“No, I didn’t see it coming,” Steve Belichick said Wednesday at Kenan Football Center. “I don’t know how it all went down, but I was just as surprised as everybody else to hear him going to North Carolina. It was a little interesting when that happened. But he loves to coach football, develop players, and be around the game. It’s been that way my whole life, and it hasn’t changed yet.”
The rest of Bill Belichick's staff is also filled with big names who have had various football opportunities. Freddie Kitchens became the offensive coordinator, and Michael Lombardi became the new North Carolina football general manager.
Lombardi discussed the goal at North Carolina and the main idea of trying to mimic how the NFL works.
“Everything we do here is predicated on building a pro team,” Michael Lombardi said. “We consider ourselves the 33rd (NFL) team because everybody involved with our program has had some form or aspect in pro football.”
The question remains whether this will work out, especially with all sorts of off-field distractions revolving around Belichick. However, the ACC is a winnable conference. If things fall into place, North Carolina could have a lot of success, despite Dinich and many others seeing them as a massive question mark before the season kicks off.
