Since legendary coach Bill Belichick signed on to become North Carolina’s 35th head coach, the program has undergone a dramatic turnaround. With 38 players involved in the transfer portal, the Tar Heels have lost more players than they have added.
Belichick Navigates 17 Gains and 21 Losses in UNC’s High-Stakes Rebuild
Last season, the Tar Heels finished 6-7, with a 3-5 conference record. They are near the bottom half of the ACC, 10th overall. Newly appointed head coach Bill Belichick has a lot of work to do if the program wants to be competitive.
North Carolina hasn’t won the ACC since 1980, an eye-popping 45 years. When UNC chancellor Lee Roberts met coach Belichick, he commented on the singing.
“We expected the response to be positive, but it has been even more overwhelmingly positive than we imagine… We obviously wouldn’t do it if we didn’t think it was a wise investment, and it’s still early, but we couldn’t feel better about where we are with that.”
Prior to Belichick signing on, the Tar Heels had a near resurgence, one that was short-lived. Legendary coach Mack Brown led the team to an Orange Bowl in 2021 and an ACC championship in 2022.
While they would lose both games, 41-27 against Texas A&M in the Orange Bowl and 39-10 to Clemson in the ACC Championship Game, the Drake Maye-led Heels seemed to have a promising future.
However, they would finish 8-5 in 2023, losing their last three games of the year. This losing trend would continue in 2024, leading to coach Brown’s departure.
Belichick’s craving to coach again has set him on a path to bringing a winning culture to Chappell Hill. With that, North Carolina is not expected to win the ACC, but betting against Belichick is always challenging.
Arguably the greatest head football coach of all time, time will tell how his NFL success fares in college. If the Tar Heels win a championship this season, Belichick will earn $1.75M in addition to his $10M annual salary.
List of The New Addition
- LB Mikai Gbayor, Missouri
- WR Adrian Wilson, Colorado
- P Jacob Horvath, Eastern Illinois
- K Rece Verhoff, Marshall
- QB Gio Lopez, South Alabama
- RB Benjamin Hall, Michigan
- WR Dayton Sneed, Tennessee
- OL Jordan Hall, UAB
- DL Joseph Mupoyi, Penn State
- DL D’Antre Robinson, Florida
- DL Isaiah Johnson, Arizona
- OL Will O’Steen, Jacksonville State
List of Departing Players:
- DL Beau Atkinson, Ohio State
- DB Zion Ferguson, Pittsburgh
- OL Zach Rice, TBD
- LB Cade Law, Memphis
- LB Crews Law, Memphis
- DE Mali Hamrick, TBD
- K/P Lucas Osada, Illinois
- WR Gavin Blackwell, TBD
- QB Ryan Browne, Purdue
- K Liam Boyd, TBD
- WR Christian Hamilton, West Virginia
- DL Joel Starlings, Maryland
- TE Julien Randolph, TBD
- K Adam Samaha, TBD
- OL Desmond Jackson, TBD
- DL Terry Nwabuisi-Ezeala, Vanderbilt
- LB Amare Campbell, TBD
- LB Michael Short, TBD
- WR Evan Haynes, TBD
- RB Jariel Cobb, TBD
- TE Ryan Ward, TBD
- LB Curtis Simpson, TBD
- DL Rodney Lora, TBD
The Tar Heels are losing a few key contributors from last season.
Players like defensive linemen, Atkinson, who led the team in sacks last season (7.5), and linebacker Amare Campbell, who entered the transfer portal once coach Brown left, only to return when Belichick was hired.
However, after completing Spring practice, Campbell has elected to enter the transfer portal once again. Key incoming players include Missouri linebacker Mikai Gbayor, who has a promising upside after putting up solid numbers with Nebraska over the past two seasons.
Additionally, former South Alabama quarterback Gio Lopez joins a quarterback room that includes freshman enrollee Bryce Baker and veteran Max Johnson. The Tar Heels aren’t currently ranked in preseason polls, but with Belichick and his new additions, there is a lot of upside.
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