UNC Football

It is going to take some rebuilding at North Carolina for the Tar Heels to reach the heights Bill Belichick is accustomed to, and the legendary head coach isn't entering his first season with unrealistic expectations.

"I don't really have any expectations," Belichick said Wednesday, per ESPN's David Hale. "It's going to be up to each individual. I know we've got a good plan, I know we can do the right things to put a good product on the field. Everybody that buys into it and wants to be a part of it, will be a part of it. And if they don't, they can go somewhere else. That's their decision."

Attention naturally turns to the quarterback position when trying to evaluate college football teams this far in advance of the season, and North Carolina doesn't have much depth.

Purdue transfer Ryan Browne and true freshman Bryce Baker don't have much experience between them, and the veteran in the room is coming off a significant injury.

Max Johnson started the Tar Heels' opener in 2024 but suffered a broken leg that sidelined him for the rest of the season. His ability to recover quickly is key since he is the only signal-caller with meaningful playing time at the collegiate level from his previous stops at LSU and Texas A&M, and Belichick said he is "getting better."

That is welcome news for the team that also landed a solid-but-unspectacular 2025 recruiting class that checks in at No. 41 in the country in 247Sports' composite rankings.

"We're starting to put everything together—here's how we do things, here's what our expectations are, this is what you need to do to be successful," Belichick said. "They've embraced that and tried to do it. We haven't accomplished anything but we're a lot further along than we were five weeks ago. We're getting there."

It is hard to argue with Belichick's process, as he is arguably the greatest coach in football history with a resume that includes nine Super Bowl appearances and six Lombardi Trophies.

But turning North Carolina into an annual contender in the ACC will be easier said than done. 

The Tar Heels have one season with double-digit wins since 1997 and haven't won the ACC since 1980. Maryland has been in the Big Ten since the 2014 campaign but has still won the ACC four times since North Carolina's last championship.

This is a rebuilding job that will take some time, and it seems like Belichick is trying to keep any expectations in check at the start.

Class of 2026 wide receiver Devin Fitzgerald, the son of Arizona Cardinals legend Larry Fitzgerald, received an offer from UNC and revealed that Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick said that he'd push him every day to be the best.

I had the privilege of speaking with Coach @Belichick_B, one of the greatest to ever do it, and I am thrilled to announce that I have received an offer from the University of North Carolina!@jason247scout @BrandonHuffman #bst #AGTG pic.twitter.com/d2SOMQbU2v

— Devin Fitzgerald (@devinfitz118) March 3, 2025

Four-star WR Devin Fitzgerald, Larry's son, had a chance to talk with North Carolina coach Bill Belichick.@HeelIllustrated pic.twitter.com/PJQSZalVJh

— Adam Gorney (@adamgorney) March 5, 2025

The 6'2", 195-pound Fitzgerald is listed as a three-star prospect on 247Sports. He plays for Brophy College Preparatory in Phoenix and caught 52 passes for 720 yards and nine touchdowns last season.

Per 247Sports, Fitzgerald has received 26 offers, including ones from Arizona State, Duke, Florida State and Iowa State. He has an official visit lined up for UCLA beginning June 12, per On3.

Obviously, any offer from Belichick's Tar Heels program should raise eyebrows given the coach's NFL success, with six Super Bowls as the New England Patriots' head coach following two with the New York Giants as defensive coordinator.

It's clear Fitzgerald has interest in UNC, although the Tar Heels have some competition. Still, UNC is in the mix here as the wideout considers his options.

UNC head coach Bill Belichick is set to embark on his first attempt to coach at the college level, but it sounds like he's treating his new gig like an NFL job.

While speaking to reporters on Tuesday, UNC general manager Michael Lombardi revealed that he and Belichick consider the Tar Heels program to be the NFL's "33rd team."

Michael Lombardi: "We consider ourselves the 33rd (NFL) team."

— Brendan Marks (@BrendanRMarks) February 11, 2025

Belichick put together a legendary career in the NFL, leading the New England Patriots to six Super Bowl titles during his 24-year tenure as head coach. After spending the 2024 season as a broadcaster, he signed on to replace Mack Brown at the helm of UNC.

The 72-year-old said during his introductory press conference that his goal is to prepare Tar Heels players for life at the professional level, so he would run the program the same way he'd run an NFL team.

"In terms of when I say a pro program, I would say through my experience, what we did in terms of training, developing players, running pro systems, pro techniques, so when players leave here, this isn't going from the wishbone to a pro offense," Belichick explained. "There will be similar terminology, similar techniques and fundamentals, similar training, similar preparation techniques that have been very successful for me through the years and that I know that other NFL teams are using, whether other college teams are using or not."

HEIGHT: 5'10" 3/8

WEIGHT: 279

HAND: 10⅜"

ARM: 31½"

WINGSPAN: 78⅛"

40-YARD DASH: 5.21

3-CONE: NA

SHUTTLE: 4.7

VERTICAL: 23.5"

BROAD: 8'8"

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POSITIVES

— Outstanding natural leverage and contact balance with good play strength.

— Very good quickness to close space in a blink on climbs and pulls and when uncovered in pass protection.

— Refined all-around footwork and use of hands.

— Keeps elbows and hips connected with a tight, firm punch and excellent grip strength.

— Sticky run blocker who strains as hard as any blocker in the nation to finish blocks.

— Strong week of practice in Mobile at guard and center.

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NEGATIVES

— Uniquely undersized in terms of height and weight

— Will get stacked and pulled into overextension here and there if unable to establish first meaningful contact.

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NOTES

— Born Jan. 22, 2002

— 3-star recruit from the 2020 class, per 247Sports

— Won the Florida 2A heavyweight state championship in wrestling as a senior with a 47-0 record

— 61 career starts across the interior; 26 at left guard, 21 at right guard and 14 at center

— 2024 AP First-team All-ACC selection

— Accepted his invite to the 2025 Senior Bowl

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OVERALL

Willie Lampkin is a five-year starter with double-digit starts across each spot on the interior including 12 at right guard in 2024 inside UNC's 56-44 run-pass split, multiple run scheme. Lampkin is uniquely short and light with adequate arm length, very good quickness and good play strength.

Lampkin is a leverage monster in the run game with a refined skill set and a keen understanding of how to stick on blocks. He can hold the point in the post on double teams, strain, and wall-off rush lanes when isolated on drive blocks and regularly intersects targets on pulls and climbs. Once latched, Lampkin is a chore to shed due to his tremendous ability to fit, clench, and take away space for defenders to operate. His lack of girth and mass creates soft edges that defenders can get to and if he cannot establish first meaningful contact has gotten push-pulled into overextension but these instances are rare on film.

In pass protection Lampkin shows very good footwork and strike timing in his jump set to land his punch first and inside the frame of rushers before clenching and anchoring on command. He uncorks on adjacent rushers when uncovered and is alert to decipher line games and stunts.

Overall, Lampkin has an unprecedented combination of size limitations and great tape that creates a difficult projection for the NFL, but he more than held his own in the ACC and Mobile. Worst case Lampkin can fit into a versatile move blocker role in the mold of Ravens FB Pat Ricard but checks enough boxes apart from size to compete for a job at center as a rookie.

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GRADE: 6.0 (Developmental Prospect - 5th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 218

POSITION RANK: IOL23

PRO COMPARISON: Shorter Aaron Brewer

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Brandon Thorn

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Prospect workout numbers, measurables (40-yard dash, hand size, etc.) and 2024 statistics will be added at a later date.

Bill Belichick added a familiar face to his coaching staff at North Carolina.

Former New England Patriots linebacker Jamie Collins, who played 79 games under Belichick during his NFL career, will be joining the Tar Heels as a defensive assistant in 2025 (via TMZ Sports).

Retired All-Pro LB Jamie Collins, who won Super Bowl XLIX with the Patriots, is joining his former head coach Bill Belichick's coaching staff at the University of North Carolina.
Collins will serve as a defensive assistant for @UNCFootball. @UNC @JamieLee601 pic.twitter.com/k5rkTZ73J1

— TMZ Sports (@TMZ_Sports) February 7, 2025

"Blessed for the opportunity," Collins said. "My guy. I love that dude, he love me. Obviously, he can't get rid of me so we'll see how that works out. But I'm grateful, man. I'm shocked, but grateful and ready."

Collins explained that he'll "mainly" work with North Carolina's linebackers.

The 35-year-old spent 10 years playing in the NFL, starting his career with New England after the team selected him with a second-round pick in the 2013 draft.

Collins quickly excelled in a starting role, winning a championship with the Patriots during the 2014 season and earning Pro Bowl honors in 2015. He was traded to the Cleveland Browns in 2016, but he returned to New England two more times before the end of his career.

This included a stint from the middle of the 2021 season through Collins' 2022 campaign, his final year in the NFL. He eventually retired in Oct. 2023.

As for Belichick, he agreed to mutually part ways with the Patriots following the 2023 season.

He was officially named the Tar Heels' next head coach on Dec. 11, signing a five-year contract worth $10 million annually.

BREAKING: Bill Belichick is finalizing a deal to become the HC at UNC, per @AdamSchefter, @PeteThamel and @ClowESPN 🤯

One of the greatest NFL coaches of all time taking his talents to Chapel Hill pic.twitter.com/7qmxtgLi1o

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 11, 2024

North Carolina's current regime already has multiple members with ties to Belichick's days with the Patriots.

General manager Mike Lombardi served as an executive in New England, while Tar Heels strength and conditioning coach Moses Cabrera previously worked under Belichick on the Patriots (h/t Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk).

Now, Collins has become the latest member of North Carolina's staff as the team gears up for the 2025 season.

Bill Belichick is doing what he can to become a fan favorite at North Carolina.

And that includes feeding the fraternities.

As Ross Martin of 247Sports relayed Friday, the new Tar Heels football coach is planning on purchasing pizzas and having them delivered to fraternity houses for students to eat as they watch the men's basketball team take on Duke on the road in the latest edition of college basketball's fiercest rivalry.

#UNC head coach Bill Belichick is getting pizzas for Carolina fraternities for the Duke game tomorrow night pic.twitter.com/4Ymv97Ly4B

— Ross Martin (@RossMartinNC) January 31, 2025

Belichick certainly understands how important the rivalry is to North Carolina fans.

After all, he mentioned in his introductory press conference that while he doesn't remember much from when he was very young when his father was an assistant coach with the Tar Heels football team, he was told by his family that his first words were "Beat Duke."

Born and bred a Tar Heel pic.twitter.com/xszjjHwwZB

— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) December 12, 2024

He will have the opportunity to do just that on the football field during his first season, but Duke and North Carolina is a basketball rivalry first and foremost.

And those on North Carolina's campus will surely be dialed into the game on Saturday as the Tar Heels attempt to pick up an important Quadrant 1 win on the road to bolster their precarious NCAA tournament chances.

ESPN's Joe Lunardi updated his Bracketology page Friday, and North Carolina is one of the final four teams included in the field. That would put the powerhouse program in the play-in games ahead of the start of the traditional round of 64.

They will have a number of key opportunities to improve their standing during the stretch run, including during the rematch against Duke at home on March 8.

It wouldn't be surprising if Belichick was in attendance for that one after making sure fraternities on campus ate well for the first one.

Bill Belichick has his sights set high for his first full recruiting class.

On Monday, the new North Carolina head coach visited 5-star quarterback Jared Curtis, the No. 4 player and No. 2 quarterback in the Class of 2026, per 247Sports Composite.

Great in home visit today! pic.twitter.com/vDwpLQ3Ybd

— Jared Curtis 2026 QB (@Jaredcurtis37) January 27, 2025

According to On3's Steve Wiltfong, Curtis scheduled a visit to Chapel Hill after meeting with Belichick.

Curtis originally committed to Kirby Smart and Georgia but decommitted in December, noting that it didn't "seem right" to stay committed to the Bulldogs while exploring other options.

"This morning I spoke with coach Smart and [offensive coordinator Mike Bobo] and let them know that I still love Georgia, but would like to take some more time to explore all my options so I can make the best, most informed decision for my future," Curtis said. "I let them know it just doesn't seem right or fair to stay committed while checking out other programs. I want people to know where I stand and I've learned that making big decisions takes time."

Thankful! pic.twitter.com/CzoWv0rHu3

— Jared Curtis 2026 QB (@Jaredcurtis37) October 17, 2024

Georgia is still in the mix, however, as Curtis included the Bulldogs in his top six. North Carolina is not among Curtis' top schools, but perhaps an in-home visit with Belichick and a visit to Chapel Hill later this year could change that.

Curtis would be a huge pickup for the Tar Heels. He's coming off a season in which he threw for 2,830 yards and 40 touchdowns with just three interceptions. He added 637 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground.

North Carolina has four commits for the Class of 2026, all of which are 3-star prospects. If Belichick can put together a strong first year in Chapel Hill, he could start bringing in players of Curtis' caliber.

Legendary head coach Bill Belichick is no stranger to Monday Night Football, so he will be in a familiar setting when he makes his UNC debut this fall.

The Tar Heels announced that their 2025 season opener against TCU has been rescheduled to Monday, Sept. 1, and will be broadcast on ESPN at 7:30 p.m. ET:

Sept. 1. All 👀 on Chapel Hill #GoHeels pic.twitter.com/pGKLFX236T

— Carolina Football (@UNCFootball) January 23, 2025

Belichick was officially introduced as UNC's new head coach last month, marking his first time coaching at the college level after an iconic career in the NFL. He led the New England Patriots to six Super Bowl titles and racked up 333 career wins, which rank second all-time behind Don Shula's 347.

Upon his hiring, Belichick said that player development would be his priority in order to get the next generation ready for life in the NFL. A taste of the bright lights of Monday Night Football in the very first week surely won't hurt that effort.

"When I say a pro program, I would say through my experience, what we did in terms of training, developing players, running pro systems, pro techniques," Belichick said in his introductory press conference. "So when the players leave here, this isn't going from the wishbone to a pro offense. It will be similar terminology, similar techniques and fundamentals, similar training, similar preparation techniques that have been very successful for me through the years, whether other college teams use them or not."

Belichick has already been working the recruitment trail to gear up for the 2025 campaign. The Tar Heels lost three quarterbacks to the transfer portal, but he's received commitments from the class of 2025 prospects Au'Tori Newkirk and Bryce Baker and Purdue transfer quarterback Ryan Browne.

Fans will certainly be excited to see the 72-year-old get back to doing what he does best when he leads UNC against TCU in a few months.

The University of North Carolina released details regarding head football coach Bill Belichick's contract Thursday.

ESPN's Pete Thamel posted snippets of the contract on X, showing that Belichick signed a five-year deal which will pay him $10 million annually:

UNC sent out a copy of Bill Belichick's contract. Here's the way they get to his $10 million salary. I've been told the deal is signed, which is why UNC has released the deal via state open record laws. pic.twitter.com/iC29AFFnVp

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 23, 2025

Thamel also posted the termination clause, which requires Belichick to pay UNC $10 million if he terminates their agreement before June 1, 2025, but only $1 million if the termination occurs on June 1 or later:

Here's the clause where the buyout drops from $10 million to $1 million on June 1 if Belichick terminates the deal. pic.twitter.com/RcQCJZuhSj

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 23, 2025

There are also several bonuses worked into Belichick's deal, including payments for an ACC title game appearance and win, bowl game appearances, College Football Playoff appearances and finishes inside the Associated Press Top 25 Poll:

Couple interesting bonus items in Belichick's deal.
*ACC title game appearance $200,000
*ACC title game win $300,000
*$150,000 for Non-CFP bowl
*$350,000 for Non-CFP Tier 1/Elite bowl game shall be defined as the Pop-Tarts Bowl, TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, and the Duke Mayo Bowl.
*See… https://t.co/ZjsLuBDAvg pic.twitter.com/PT6vLMOC8r

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 23, 2025

Should UNC win a national championship under Belichick's guidance, he will earn an extra $1.75 million.

Belichick, 72, is arguably the greatest head coach in NFL history. He led the New England Patriots to a record six Super Bowl wins during his time with the organization from 2000 to 2023.

When taking into account his five seasons as head coach of the Cleveland Browns as well, Belichick owns a career NFL regular-season coaching record of 302-165. He also went 31-13 in the playoffs.

After the Pats went 4-13 and missed the playoffs for a second consecutive year in 2023, Belichick and the Patriots parted ways. Belichick tried to land another NFL head coaching job immediately after, but he wasn't hired.

While it was expected that he would re-enter the pool of head coaching candidates at the end of the 2024 campaign, he instead decided to join the college ranks, agreeing to become the Tar Heels' next head coach last month.

Belichick began his coaching career in 1975 with the Baltimore Colts, but he has never coached at the collegiate level until now.

Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reported last week that Belichick technically hadn't signed his UNC contract yet, leading to speculation that Belichick could leave and land an NFL job if the opportunity were to arise.

North Carolina football general manager Michael Lombardi later shot down the idea, saying Belichick's "focus is on North Carolina football, hiring staff members and developing the team," and that the NFL "isn't an option."

There are still four head coaching vacancies in the NFL, although all of them figure to be filled in the coming weeks.

The language of Belichick's contract and the timing of the NFL hiring cycle makes it seem likely that he will coach at UNC for at least the 2025 season. But given that his buyout is only $1 million after June 1, he could potentially leave after one season if an NFL head coaching opportunity arises at the end of the 2025 season.

Until then, Belichick will attempt to get the Tar Heels back on track after a disappointing 6-7 showing in 2024.

North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick's girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, confirmed that he's "overtly committed" to the Tar Heels in an Instagram post on Thursday.

Just In: Bill Belichick's 24-year-old girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, confirms they are "overtly committed" to North Carolina. pic.twitter.com/TTTC7HqAjT

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) January 16, 2025

Following a lengthy career with the New England Patriots that included six Super Bowl titles, Belichick agreed to a five-year contract to become North Carolina's next head coach on Dec. 11. The deal currently contains a $10 million buyout if he were to leave the school before dropping to just $1 million after June 1.

Despite the agreement, there still appears to be some interest from teams surrounding a return to the NFL.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported on Jan. 8 that Las Vegas Raiders minority owner and Patriots legend Tom Brady spoke to Belichick about "what it would take" to get him to become the team's next head coach.

CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones also revealed that Belichick "could be near the top" of Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones' list of preferred candidates after moving on from Mike McCarthy.

Michael Lombardi, North Carolina football's general manager, said that the NFL "isn't an option" for Belichick in a Thursday post on X.

Bill is recruiting in DC today and Baltimore tomorrow. His focus is on North Carolina football, hiring staff members and developing the team. The NFL isnt a option so please stop making it one. Thank you. https://t.co/Z5sRAcYOCB

— Michael Lombardi (@mlombardiuncgm) January 16, 2025

The 72-year-old also confirmed that he "didn't come here to leave" when speaking to reporters at his introductory press conference with the Tar Heels.

"I had some good years in the NFL and that was okay, but this is really a dream come true ... as a kid all I knew was college football"

-Bill Belichick on becoming UNC's head coach pic.twitter.com/dUvTBKPq3b

— CBS Sports College Football 🏈 (@CBSSportsCFB) December 12, 2024

Despite reported NFL interest in Belichick, he appears to have his sights set on his first season in Chapel Hill.