Bill Belichick’s start at North Carolina has been anything but quiet. Two weeks into his first season as the Tar Heels’ head coach, he already has one win, one tough loss, and a trademark battle with his former team, the New England Patriots.
Bill Belichick Talks North Carolina Struggles Amid Trademark Rejection
On Tuesday afternoon, Belichick met with the media inside the Kenan Football Center. He discussed his team’s current status and what he wants to see moving forward, even sneaking in a rare Jim Brown reference when talking about his running backs.
An early offensive spark quickly faded, and the defense was unable to keep up in the Tar Heels’ 48-14 loss to TCU to open the season. Belichick said his players have a lot to learn and that it was a tough welcome to college football.
But in Week 2, they responded, knocking off Charlotte 20-3 behind a long touchdown pass from quarterback Gio Lopez and a defense that finally looked like it belonged in a Belichick-led program.
“We need to do a better job all the way across the board,” Belichick said, pointing to struggles in all areas of the program. “There’s a lot of room for improvement and just our fundamentals.”
The coach also discussed the unsettled running back room. None of the backs had much game experience entering the year, and through two weeks, the rotation remains wide open.
“None of those players really had very many carries going into the year and they’ve gotten some in the early part of the season,” Belichick said. “If Jim Brown was my running back, I would leave him in the game on every play. We’ve given these players a chance, and we’ll continue to evaluate them, but we’ll see how it turns out. They’re all capable.”
Brown is widely regarded as one of the best running backs ever and among the greatest players in NFL history. He was a one-time NFL champion, won three MVP awards, earned eight first-team All-Pro selections, and still owns the league record for career rushing yards per game at 104.3 (minimum five games played).
Progress hasn’t just been about the scoreboard. Off the field, Belichick and his partner, Jordon Hudson, were dealt a setback when the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office denied their applications for several “Bill’s Version” catchphrases, including plays on “Do Your Job” and “No Days Off,” both famously tied to his Patriots legacy. The ruling sided with New England, which already owns the trademarks. Belichick’s camp has three months to appeal.
For now, his record at UNC sits at 1-1. And while the headlines around him may extend far beyond football, his eyes are locked on Saturday. The Tar Heels host Richmond, and Belichick knows every game from here on out is a chance to prove that his coaching blueprint can work in the college game.
