To say things aren’t going well in Bill Belichick’s first year at North Carolina would be an understatement. The Tar Heels began the season with a 48-14 loss at home to TCU — not great, but it’s Week 1. They followed it up with two wins — one against Charlotte and one against Richmond. Then, the good vibes were brought back down in a 34-9 loss to UCF.
This week wasn’t much different. Belichick and his team fell to Clemson 38-10, with many fans even leaving in the first half of the rout. But with the coach’s $10 million price tag, what should he and the team be shooting for?
What Goals Did One Analyst Give Bill Belichick After Their Loss to Clemson?
Following another embarrassing North Carolina loss, several college football analysts rushed to social media to give their instant reactions. One of them was Fox Sports’ RJ Young, who had some bold goals for the coach.
“Bill Belichick took the job at North Carolina, and he’s getting paid the $10 million that Deion Sanders is getting paid [at Colorado], Young explained. “The difference is that Deion Sanders is showing he can win at Jackson State and flip Colorado from 4-8 to 9-4.”
Young has a point here. It’s no surprise college football coaches get paid monstrous contracts, but the fact that Belichick is getting paid $10 million to coach a college team — something he’s never done before — is surprising.
“Heisman Trophy winner… first-round draft pick… that’s in Year 2 at Colorado,” Young continued. “I dare Bill Belichick to do better. Can he win nine games in his second year, and can he put a Heisman winner on the podium, and have a first-round pick at North Carolina? Those are the three things I’m asking for.”
Belichick has already proven he is a championship-winning coach — he won eight Super Bowls as coach of the Patriots, but this stop in Chapel Hill is different. While both are football coaching jobs, it’s clear to most that coaching a college team is vastly different from coaching a professional team.
MORE: Fans Turn On Bill Belichick After North Carolina’s Shocking No-Show vs. Clemson
Young also emphasized that while winning football games is the obvious goal, Sanders has proven that he can develop college talent and transform it into NFL skill. Coach Prime has already sent several players to play on Sundays, and while Belichick has his system, it’s still unknown how it works in college ball. So far, it’s not looking great.
Another big variable in the equation is recruiting — something not present in professional football. As Young explains, Sanders, like other college coaches, finds talented players and then figures out a way to fit them into the existing system.
Belichick has only been in Chapel Hill for a couple of months, so it is important to give him time. Assuming he is back in Year 2, though, he will have an opportunity to show that this is just a speed bump, and that rebuilds aren’t instant — even in college ball where NIL deals and the transfer portal dominate.
Up next, North Carolina travels out west to take on the California Golden Bears in Berkeley on Saturday, October 17 — two weeks from now. UNC also has matchups with Virginia, Syracuse, Stanford, Wake Forest, Duke, and NC State.
