It seems like every day in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, brings new challenges for the UNC Tar Heels and their coach, Bill Belichick, who led the Tom Brady-era Patriots to six Super Bowls. Now sitting at 2-3 (0-1 ACC), the team will need to make some serious changes, even to just make a bowl game.
On Monday, the situation got worse, with bombshell reporting from local sources revealing that underneath the surface, the program is full of turmoil. To save face, the university and coach put out a joint statement clarifying the team is all-in on the 73-year-old ball coach. But if things continue to go south, who could be his potential replacement?
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While the North Carolina Tar Heels might be in the second bye week of the season, it seems the team still can’t stay out of the news. Monday afternoon, reporter Ollie Connolly tweeted that “Bill Belichick has discussed buyout options with North Carolina’s hierarchy.”
He continued, “Belichick has signalled a willingness to trigger his own $1 million buyout if he can find a soft landing with another team or in media.”
In separate tweets, he continued, writing, “Reports of serious recruiting violations remain under investigation at UNC. Recruiting and practice violations have already been proven by the school, according to multiple sources.”
In response to this reporting, the university and Belichick released a joint statement, essentially saying that he is committed to the team, while the university has given him its full support. But if things continue to go south, the Tar Heels could be looking for another coach soon.
Jamey Chadwell, HC, Liberty Flames
Currently, the head coach of the Liberty Flames of Conference USA, Jamey Chadwell, would be a great candidate to become the next coach at North Carolina. The 48-year-old not only brings youth to the team but also has ties to the Carolinas.
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As he worked his way up to head coach, he spent time at Charleston Southern as the leader there and at Coastal Carolina as the associate head coach, offensive coordinator, and QB coach before taking over the team from 2019-2022.
In his two and a half seasons at Liberty, he has amassed a 23-9 record, including a 13-1 mark and 8-0 record in conference play in 2023. Additionally, Chadwell loves to get creative on offense. By hiring a young up-and-comer, UNC could potentially establish some stability after a wild season with Belichick. If UNC doesn’t grab Chadwell, someone will soon.
Jon Sumrall, HC, Tulane Green Wave
Much like Chadwell, Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall slots into the category of “young and upcoming coaches soon to be in Power Four.” While he has only been at Tulane for two seasons, he has led them to a 13-6 total record and has brought them to the forefront of “Group of Five College Football Playoff contenders.”
While 2025 is only his fourth season as a head coach, the Texarkana, Texas, native has made stops at Kentucky, FCS San Diego, Ole Miss, and Troy in various roles. While has long been rumored to eventually end up in the SEC as a head coach, Sumrall could take advantage of UNC’s rebuild and establish his own culture.
While North Carolina isn’t in the SEC, there have been rumors that they could potentially be in the market for a conference switch in the next few years. Sumrall could be getting in on the ground floor.
Steve Belichick, DC, North Carolina Tar Heels
Coaching nepotism is all the rage now! Just look at Auburn basketball, where Bruce Pearl’s ill-timed retirement led to his son, Steven Pearl, being named head coach. Steven Belichick currently serves as the team’s defensive coordinator. Under his guidance, the team has earned a 74.4 “C” DEFi grade, according to PFSN’s data.
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Prior to his time in Chapel Hill, the younger Belichick spent 11 seasons with the NFL’s Patriots. He worked his way up from a defensive assistant to a defensive coaching job before accepting the DC role with the Washington Huskies for the 2024 season. By promoting from within, the program can keep Belichick’s influence but start fresh.
Jeff Monken, HC, Army Black Knights
While he doesn’t necessarily have ties to the ACC and to the Tar Heels, Jeff Monken would be a great candidate to take over North Carolina. Now in his 12th season leading the Army Black Knights, he has rallied the team to an 84-60 overall record, a solid accomplishment for a service academy.
Not only that, he has coached the team to six victories over Navy in the last nine seasons, ending a 14-game losing streak to their bitter rivals.
Prior to his time at Army, Monken spent time at schools around the country, including Navy, Georgia Tech, and Georgia Southern.
Jon Gruden, Commentator, Barstool Sports
While Jon Gruden might seem like a shot in the dark, so did Belichick’s hiring. A Super Bowl-winning coach who has spent time with six different NFL franchises, Gruden has recently been out of coaching and is instead an analyst for sports media company Barstool Sports.
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If North Carolina wanted to take another “swing for the fences” approach, they could hire Gruden, a hard-nosed coach who has reportedly shown interest in coaching college ball. While he has stated he would prefer the SEC, North Carolina is a huge brand, one of the cornerstones of the ACC, and would provide Gruden with whatever he needed to rebuild.
While his Super Bowl victory came back in the 2002-03 season, and it seems like his best coaching days are behind him, Gruden is only 62 and has experience coaching a variety of personalities. He could come to Chapel Hill and reset expectations.
