Bill Belichick’s first season as a college coach came to an end on Saturday after UNC was blown out by North Carolina State.
The 42-19 loss capped off a less-than-stellar season for Belichick. The Tar Heels finished with a 4-8 record.
It was a trying year for Belichick — who never coached at the college level prior to joining UNC. Despite having a slew of success at the NFL level, it didn’t quite translate to the college world in Year 1.
Belichick’s tenure thus far has also been dominated by headlines about his relationship with Jordon Hudson and the role the 24-year-old plays in his professional life.
Now with the first season under his belt, Belichick is ready to move onto the offseason.
Here’s what’s being said after UNC’s third straight loss.
“The Tar Heels, once lauded by general manager Mike Lombardi as the “33rd NFL Team,” had attracted ESPN’s “College GameDay” to Chapel Hill for their season opener — only for them to get squashed by 34 points against TCU.
“UNC’s season continued to spiral, with the Tar Heels suffering more double-digit losses (5) than they had total wins on the season.”
“The Tar Heels (4-8, 2-6) closed the season with three straight losses to in-state league opponents, first at Wake Forest on Nov. 15 and then at home against Duke last weekend.
“That capped a season that saw the Tar Heels lose five games by 16 or more points, starting with a 48-14 loss to TCU on Labor Day — which had drawn ESPN’s “College Gameday” to Chapel Hill and countless headlines about Belichick’s arrival at the college level.
“That turned into merely the start of trouble, with the opening month including blowout losses at UCF and at home to a Clemson team that will finish with that program’s lowest win output in 15 years. UNC’s three wins were against Bowl Subdivision programs with a combined 8-28 record (Charlotte, Syracuse and Stanford).”
“The dismissive attitude works when a coach is winning. When a coach is struggling, it has a much different feel. As I’ve said time and again about Belichick, if he wants to avoid answering fair and reasonable questions from reporters on a regular basis, he should go coach high-school lacrosse — and be compensated accordingly.
“He works for a public institution now. He makes $10 million per year from that university. He’s the primary face and voice of the football program. Short, chippy, and argumentative answers become an even worse look when he’s working for a school that is funded by the people and that ultimately belongs to them.
“The practical impact is that, as Belichick moves forward to his second season, the same reporters he has stonewalled will be the ones shaping the narratives around the program. And, quite possibly, making the case for Belichick to be fired after a second bad season, if 2026 is a repeat of 2025.”
“In his head coaching career, Belichick has finished 50 percent or below in the regular season only four times: his final season with Cleveland in 1995, his first season with New England in 2000 (they won the Super Bowl the following year), his final season with the Patriots in 2023, and now his first season with UNC.
“After a rocky start to his college coaching career, it’s unclear where Belichick could take the program if UNC sticks by him. His resume shows he has a history of rebounding from down years in the NFL, finishing with a 302-165 all-time record.”
“North Carolina closed its first season under the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach with its third defeat against an in-state rival in three weeks and, for the fifth year in a row, a defeat at the hands of the Wolfpack. The defeat offered a bookend echo of the nationally televised blowout against TCU on Labor Day. In Raleigh, UNC gave up the most points to an opponent since its 48-14 loss to the Horned Frogs.
“There will be no bowl game for the first time in seven seasons. There will be no defining wins to remember and UNC, for all its football investment this offseason, has the worst record since the Larry Fedora era to show for it. And, for now, there will be no clear assessment or reflection from the man hired to transform it all.
“The numbers help tell part of the story Belichick declined to.”
