FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — New England Patriots players found out the news just like we did. The headline, Belichick to UNC, blasted to their phones on push notifications. It populated their feeds on social media. It appeared on the TVs at Gillette Stadium.
“Really just surprised, you know? Eight-time Super Bowl champion. Greatest of all time,” defensive tackle Christian Barmore said.
It didn’t seem real.
In the Patriots locker room, where there’s no shortage of men who know Belichick closely, every single man admitted he was surprised.
“I never thought he’d coach in college,” quarterback Jacoby Brissett told FOX Sports on Thursday.
“No one was expecting Bill would do some s— like that,” defensive tackle Daniel Ekuale said.
“I’m sure he wants to be in the league,” linebacker Jahlani Tavai said.
“I was surprised. Definitely shocking,” receiver Kendrick Bourne said. “I thought he was going to be in the NFL.”
Belichick is going to have to change. If he and the North Carolina Tar Heels are going to do what Belichick loves more than anything else (to win), then Belichick can’t simply be the same guy that he was with the Patriots for more than two decades.
That was one of the few things the Patriots players agreed upon.
“He’s going to have to make some adjustments,” Bourne said.
“Those kids are going to run him amuck. So he’s going to have to change,” Brissett said.
But how much?
[Related: Belichick, UNC early win total set at 7.5]
“He’s very adaptable,” Deatrich Wise said. “He loves coaching. And I feel like he’ll change his method to reach more kids to get more out of them. … But maybe it’ll just be him being himself. And he’ll let everybody conform to him, which could be a good thing. Who knows? Who really knows? Bill is one thing — he’ll surprise everybody. He could win the Natty in two years. We honestly don’t know.”
Belichick’s time at UNC could be one of two things. It’s either Michael Jordan’s baseball era — or it’s like when he returned from baseball and won three more championships.
When asked about how Belichick would take on the duties as a college coach, players let out a lot of nervous laughter. They’ve all been more forthcoming with the media since Belichick left New England. But perhaps the mere mention of him caused them to think twice before speaking freely about their former coach’s college prospects. Like the ghost of Belichick was back in the locker room with all of us.
“He’s a hell of a coach. He’s been doing it for a long time. But I don’t think the Xs and Os will be a problem for him,” former Patriots linebacker and current linebackers coach Dont’a Hightower said.
Did Bill Belichick make the right move by taking the job at UNC?
What might be a problem for him? How might he connect with the youngsters?
“I’m probably just as curious as you guys,” Hightower said.
Former Patriots players — from Tom Brady to Julian Edelman to Gronk to Brian Hoyer to David Andrews to Damien Harris — have talked about the biggest issues that stand ahead of Belichick: Recruiting, NIL, grades, time constraints for meetings. And the age gap. Belichick is 71. He might spend time recruiting a 16-year-old.
“Now, he’s going to say, ‘We have a really good gym. And don’t forget our pools. And don’t forget to go to class,'” Wise started cracking up. “I just want to see how that’s going to look.”
It’s all strange to imagine. It’s not just the unbelievable picture of Belichick sitting on a couch to pitch how UNC will change a young man’s future. It’s just as bizarre to picture him in the meeting room as the teacher of teenagers. And it’s weirdest of all to imagine him on the sideline in anything other than a hoodie with a Patriots logo on it.
Will Bill Belichick’s legacy be impacted by him coaching UNC?
But Belichick had a hoodie handy — one his father Steve wore when he was a coach at UNC — for the introductory press conference on Thursday. Belichick said he “didn’t come here to leave” (even if the NFL comes interested) and that this is a “dream come true.” He detailed his excitement at getting more time with players on the field, even if that meant sacrificing meeting time with the student-athletes, per NCAA rules. He’ll run UNC like a “pro program.”
“I will have to see him on the sideline to believe that’s happening,” said Kliff Kingsbury, who is a former Texas Tech coach and former Patriots quarterback. He is now the Commanders offensive coordinator. “No, I don’t see my man going on any home visits or doing like the cocktail hour after the visits. I just don’t.”
That’s where delegation will be imperative. That has never been the coach’s strong suit. After all, he was more than New England’s coach. He was also the team’s GM. Some years, he elected not to give official titles of defensive coordinator or offensive coordinator — in part because he took a large hand in that role during that season. But perhaps as a sign of Belichick’s newfound desire to adapt, he named a general manager, Michael Lombardi. Belichick is also likely to have a large staff that will no doubt help him with the recruiting process. That delegation will be a big change. And you can probably bet it’ll be a familiar cast. We might see Matt Patricia, Joe Judge and/or Josh McDaniels. And then there’s the likelihood that he’ll hire his sons Brian Belichick and Steve Belichick.
“Really happy for my dad,” said Brian, who is the Patriots safeties coach. “A lot of people are excited, including him. It will be fun to watch. He loves coaching football. It’s what he should be doing. It’s going to be great.”
It’s hard to imagine Belichick’s coaching style changing. Belichick is one of the most notoriously strict coaches in the NFL. He’ll immediately be college football’s biggest disciplinarian. And it’s a fascinating experiment to see whether Belichick’s intense approach will work with students. Because as Tavai said, Belichick isn’t working with grown men who cash a paycheck and go home to take care of their family at night. This is a different age group that Belichick will be teaching.
“I’m just curious to see how he’s going to relate,” Brissett said. “These kids gotta go to school. With Bill, you need to be at work 24/7. I’m trying to see how he’s gonna deal with these kids that’s just gonna say: ‘Alright, I’m gonna just leave.'”
Leave the meeting.
Leave the school.
Several current Patriots players expressed concern for Belichick with the transfer portal. If young players grow frustrated with Belichick’s challenging and demanding coaching style, what will keep them from taking off for a cushier college experience?
“If they don’t like the stuff you’re doing over there, they’re gonna transfer in the portal,” Ekuale said.
The same thing is true in the NFL, with players jettisoning themselves with trade demands. And Belichick is no stranger to turnover. From 2016 to 2017, the Patriots had 50% of their roster turnover. They went to the Super Bowl both years. Belichick traded for Randy Moss in 2007, and when the headache proved too much, the coach traded the mercurial receiver away in 2010.
Belichick is no stranger to turnover. He’s no stranger to any single part of college, because there are natural comparisons between the two leagues. But — of course — they’re not the same league. And therein lies the uncertainty.
“It might change, it might not. I don’t have a crystal ball. I wish I did. I’d tell everybody what was gonna happen,” Brendan Schooler said. “So yeah, we’ll have to wait and see what happens.”
That’s the truth. You can have your opinions. You can look at the facts. But given the fast-shifting climate of college football, there’s no saying whether Belichick can get UNC into a competitive position for the college football playoff, let alone a national championship. But everyone will be watching with immense curiosity, including his former players at 1 Patriot Place.
Prior to joining FOX Sports as an NFL reporter and columnist, Henry McKenna spent seven years covering the Patriots for USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Boston Globe Media. Follow him on Twitter at @henrycmckenna.
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