North Carolina football is still adjusting to life under Bill Belichick, and the start has been anything but smooth. The Tar Heels were crushed 48-14 by TCU last week in the Hall of Fame coach's debut, marking the most points ever surrendered by one of his teams. And now, instead of focusing on recovery, Belichick has stirred controversy by taking a hard stance against his former franchise.

Reports surfaced this week that he has blocked New England Patriots scouts from attending North Carolina practices and workouts, adding another wrinkle to his transition from the NFL to Chapel Hill.

According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, Belichick has gone as far as instructing his staff to deny Patriots scouts access to the program. What sparked this move? It reportedly began when a scout tried to visit the Tar Heels and was turned away, not by the school but by Belichick and UNC general manager Michael Lombardi.

Sources added that Bill Belichick sees the decision as a matter of respect, given his sour relationship with Patriots owner Robert Kraft.

“Why would we let them in our home after how he’s been treated since he left?” a UNC source told Russini.

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The program insists that player evaluations will still be available to all teams, but in-person access for New England remains shut off.

This standoff highlights the unusual dynamic of Belichick coaching at the college level while still very much tied to his NFL legacy. He has no issues with Mike Vrabel, his former linebacker and now Patriots head coach, or with executive Eliot Wolf, but the fallout with ownership continues to cast a shadow.

Meanwhile, pressure around the program is mounting. Ralph D. Russo, also from The Athletic, noted that UNC boosters expected instant results, not a humiliating opening loss, and warned that Belichick's window to spark momentum may only be two to three years.

The Tar Heels did, however, notch their first win on Saturday, a 20-3 victory over the Charlotte 49ers that offered at least a brief reprieve. Whether the Patriots ban lingers or not, Belichick's biggest test remains proving he can actually keep those wins in Chapel Hill.