There’s only one way to describe Bill Belichick‘s debut UNC campaign: Empty promises dressed up in fancy language. Believing in Belichick’s “NFL approach”, people hoped the Tar Heels’ season would shape up like the New England Patriots’ glory days. But painfully akin to the post-Tom Brady era in reality, the 4-8 record now raises more questions than it answers. The head coach, however, knows exactly why the program failed.

“We didn’t really have a recruiting class last year,” Belichick said on College GameDay ahead of the National Championship Game. “A lot of new players—70 new players start the season this year. We’re going to be in much better shape in terms of having some continuity and building forward through spring ball. It was great working with a lot of young players. I saw a lot of improvement, both off the field in their training, conditioning, strength, and explosion. And then on the field in terms of their technique, communication and so forth.”

But let’s dial back on the optimism for now, and look at whether Belichick’s assessment is correct. Heads-up: Sonny Dykes’ TCU Horned Frogs will certainly attest to it.

Way before Belichick lined up his team in Chapel Hill last September for his debut game against TCU, Dykes was sure they’d get a comfortable win, courtesy of UNC going through a massive rebuild.

“The offensive line was a major weak point,” CBS Sports’ Chris Hummer said of the Tar Heels’ 41 transfers and 30 high school signees after speaking to TCU sources. “Unproven wide receivers, average tight end room, really young defensive line room. Their best edge player didn’t even play. The safety room was a question mark, the cornerbacks were good. But all around, it just wasn’t a football team that was in position to compete with what is going to be one of the best teams in the Big 12.”

In fact, nearly 50 players from Mack Brown’s last season, where they went 6-7 overall (3-5 in ACC), headed to the portal. This included players like pass-rusher Beau Atkinson (Ohio State), linebacker Amare Campbell (Penn State) and nose tackle Travis Shaw (Texas).

“We don’t have one pro player on the whole roster,” a source within the UNC football program told The Athletic last October, a complaint that will no longer be applicable, thankfully.

Belichick has reportedly already assimilated 39 recruits for 2026, earning a 17th ranking by 247 Sports and 12th by ESPN. Not only did the team bring in four-star DE Zavion Griffin-Haynes, who brings “exceptional closing speed, a quick first step, and long arms that allow him to disrupt throwing lanes and tip passes at the line of scrimmage”, they also added four-star North Carolina defensive tackle Trashawn Ruffin flipped from Texas A&M and Oregon commit Viliami Moala, a 6-foot-2 1/2, 340-pound defensive tackle.

Apart from that, the secondary has also seen changes, including safety Jakob Weatherspoon, who flipped from Ohio, and cornerback Kenton Dopson III, who decommited from Miami and reclassed from 2026 to 2027. Apart from this, running back Crew Davis was also a versatile addition “with the power to run between tackles”.

Quarterback Travis Burgess also committed to the Tar Heels.

“At 6’5 and 205 pounds, he already looks the part of a high-end QB, with plenty of room to continue adding good weight as he develops,” an assessment report read on social media. “On tape, Burgess consistently shows high-end arm talent, pinpoint accuracy, and real calm in the pocket. He layers the ball with touch when needed, drives it on a line when required, and runs the offense with the kind of confidence you want from a future QB1.”

Belichick also added wide receivers Keeyun Chapman, Carnell Warren, and tight end Carson Sneed.

With so many notable commitments, the head coach clearly believes they will be “the foundation of our program”, with many contributing immediately.

Now, while the 2026 transfer window has brought more roster churn under Belichick, reports continue to link him to a top NFL job. If something like that materializes, it will put Chapel Hill at another crossroads just as momentum starts to form.

Bill Belichick is linked to the Buffalo Bills after Sean McDermott’s firing

The firing of head coach Sean McDermott sent shockwaves through the Bills Mafia after yet another season without an appearance at the Super Bowl. And amid all the noise, one familiar voice cut through it. As per former Buffalo Bills head coach Rex Ryan, only one name fits this moment, and it points straight to Bill Belichick.

Speaking on ESPN’s Get Up on Monday, he said, “Get the guy that has proven he can go to the Super Bowl. That’s the only guy, in my opinion, you replace Sean McDermott with.”

Coming from someone who battled Belichick for years in the AFC East with both the Bills and Jets, that endorsement carried weight. After that, Ryan pushed the idea even further. He suggested Brian Daboll, a name already buzzing around Western New York, should slide back into familiar territory.

In Ryan’s view, Daboll returning as offensive coordinator under Belichick would make sense.

Still, Belichick has stayed firm. Despite the ups and downs of his first season in Chapel Hill, he continues to say college football is where he plans to stay. Previously, similar rumors followed Belichick when the Giants moved on from Daboll mid-season. That time, Belichick shut it down himself.

“Since arriving in Chapel Hill, my commitment to the UNC Football program has not [wavered],” he said in a statement. “We have tremendous support from the university, our alumni, and the entire Carolina community.

“My focus remains solely on continuing to improve this team, develop our players and build a program that makes Tar Heel fans proud.”

Bill Belichick took the New England Patriots to six Super Bowl wins back in the day. So, it goes without saying that the Buffalo Bills would like to have him. But it doesn’t seem like Belichick wants to make any changes soon.

It will be interesting to see what the Bills do in order to reach the Super Bowl next season. They have the talent, but the Lombardi Trophy still remains a missing piece.

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