Urban Meyer Fires Warning to Bill Belichick After UNC Adopts Mike Norvell’s FSU Blueprint

Bill Belichick is entering uncharted territory. And since his arrival at UNC, Belichick has reshaped the roster with remarkable speed. The Tar Heels have welcomed a staggering 41 transfers, the most in the ACC, including a top-10 transfer haul. FanDuel has set the Tar Heels’ win total at 7.5, signaling a belief that Belichick’s first roster could at least reach bowl eligibility. Yet skeptics remain, wondering how Belichick’s professional approach will take hold in a locker room crowded with dozens of transfers.

Dropping more than 40 athletes into the mix didn’t sit right with Colin Cowherd. In a conversation with Urban Meyer, he questioned whether any coach could get this many fresh faces to gel quickly enough and build the chemistry needed to play. In a recent episode of CFP ON FOX, Cowherd raised an eyebrow at North Carolina’s transfer portal strategy, “So Belichick has 40 transfers. So I’ve said if I was a college football coach, I’d try to limit it to about 10.” 

Urban Meyer came up with a brutally honest response. He took the most recent example of Florida State, Mike Norvell led the Seminoles to an ACC Championship, a 13-1 record in 2023. But, 2024? They had their worst season since 1974, finishing with a 2–10 record. “The recent one that failed miserably was the Florida State. They go from an undefeated team to a bunch of transfers, and it didn’t work out,” he said. Of course, he admitted that there have been outliers, such as Michigan State catching lightning in a bottle for one season or Colorado turning around a struggling program overnight. Yet he returned to the real issue, saying, “I think 40 is a lot to answer. So how do you develop chemistry and culture on a team when you’re getting them in June and July? Honestly, I have no idea. I don’t know how you do that.“

Still, Meyer stopped short of dismissing Belichick’s brilliance. “Obviously, Coach Belichick’s a smart guy and he’s got a great staff around him. He’s going to figure it out.” To be fair, Belichick’s record speaks for itself: he has won over 300 NFL games and six Super Bowls. If anyone knows how to handle a roster change, it’s Belichick. Yet, college football presents a different challenge. You’re trying to assemble a team of 18 and 19-year-olds from dozens of different locker rooms in months. It’s not just about following the playbook; it’s about quickly establishing chemistry.

Transfer portal brings in the grit, size, and experience

One of the biggest gaps for Belichick’s original UNC team was undoubtedly at quarterback with QB Max Johnson’s leg injury from last season. They signed South Alabama quarterback Gio Lopez as soon as the spring transfer portal opened. Lopez had a great freshman season in 2024, finishing 30th in ESPN QBR with 66% completions and 5.6 yards per carry. Belichick also pulled off a nice little homecoming by landing in-state Nathan Leacock, a 6-foot-3, 216-pound wide receiver from Raleigh.

On the line, Jakai Moore, a transfer from South Carolina, is working at right tackle. Then other key transfer players include Daniel King, a huge 6-foot-5, 340-pound Troy native who plays right tackle. The right side of the line appears to be pretty decent, with King and Moore holding it down. On the flip side, injuries currently sideline two of UNC’s top center linemen, Austin Blaske and Christo Kelly.

The class is ranked No. 9 in the country by 247Sports, which is incredible given how little-known the program was only a year ago. The Belichick pull is quite real; no wonder UNC is a top destination for transfers.