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The notion of a 72-year-old Bill Belichick coaching college football for the first time in his life is a tough concept to comprehend, at least at first glace. Upon further reflection, however, it does not seem like a major adjustment period would be required of the all-time great head coach. While reports continue to link Belichick to North Carolina football, it is becoming easier to digest a move to the “amateur” level.
The nine-time Super Bowl champion himself is acknowledging the fairly smooth transition one can enjoy going from the NFL to college in today's NIL age. Belichick did not explicitly speak on the Tar Heels' HC job, but he outlined all the reasons why he might be interested in the role.
Bill Belichick could land on his feet in Carolina
“I’ll just say this. I think there are a lot of football programs being structured similar to NFL programs,” Belichick told “The Pat McAfee Show” on Monday, per ESPN's Pete Thamel. “I think it's a little different version from the NFL model. Much more so than it's ever been.”
Since student-athletes can now be financially compensated, and transfer rules are extremely flexible, Belichick could conceivably build a powerhouse in Chapel Hill in no time. He would also use his decades of experience to properly prepare his players for the next stage, turning North Carolina into an “NFL program,” via Jonathan Jones of NFL on CBS.
This is all hypothetical for now, though. Belichick, by his own admission, has had a couple of constructive conversations with the Tar Heels brass to this point. Both sides may have some concessions to make before talks progress any further. It is also unknown if the hooded one would prefer to hold out for an NFL post rather than enter the wild, unpredictable world of the NCAA. “We'll see, we'll see,” he said, per Thamel.
If Bill Belichick is hired as the next North Carolina football head coach, he will be tasked with lifting the program into unquestioned prominence. That is something former national champion Mack Brown fell a bit short of accomplishing during his time in the Tar Heel State. Belichick cannot be compared to anyone else, though. He would stamp a unique brand on Kenan Memorial Stadium, regardless of the outcome he achieves.
