Josh Pate was direct when talking about the situation at North Carolina, and he gave one of the most blunt takes to Bill Belichick’s tough first season with the Tar Heels. On his college football show that he hosts, Pate focused in on what he thinks the ultimate tragedy was in this coaching experiment gone bad.
“The saddest part of this is it wasted a season for North Carolina,” Pate said bluntly (3:34).
Pate painted a not-so-ideal picture of what this means for the ordinary students and players of the program. He emphasized that while someone at 58 years old might shrug off a lost year, the same cannot be said for juniors and seniors who get just four precious years on campus.
“You only get four years to attend said university. I am not even talking about the players, i’ll get to them in a second. But just if you’re a student, It’s kind of a crapshoot anyway as to what kind of experience you get from an athletics perspective in the years that you’re enrolled at a school,” Pate explained (3:49)
“So, It burned one of their years. And then when it comes to the players, the players are the ones who really get the shaft here. And, they burn one of their few years that they have to play college football on this,” Pate declared (4:06).
“I don’t think the front-facing members of North Carolina athletics and football right now are all that concerned about the players,” he further elaborated (4:53).
The analyst’s most pointed criticism was around on how current players are facing the consequences of this failed experiment. According to Pate, these athletes are burning through their limited eligibility years in a program that appears disconnected from their needs.
Reports Suggest UNC Seeking A Way Out Of Belichick’s $50 Million Deal
The timing of Pate’s commentary couldn’t be more relevant given the chaos currently around the Tar Heels. Belichick and athletic director Bubba Cunningham released a joint statement earlier this week attempting to quash speculation about the legendary coach’s future with the program.
Their declarations insisted that Belichick remains “fully committed to UNC football and the program we’re building here” while Cunningham asserted that Belichick has “the full support of the department of athletics and university.”
Meanwhile UNC are reportedly planning to escape Belichick’s massive $50 million contract while lowering his buyout. The deal reportedly guarantees only the first three years.
Multiple reports suggest Belichick himself might be willing to trigger his own $1 million buyout clause if the right opportunity presents itself.
Read More:
- “Just Retire Please, Everyone Hates Your Guts”: Fans React to Bill Belichick’s Reported Willingness for $1 Million Buyout Option
- Analyst Urges UNC To Make Major Bill Belichick Call as Patriots Beef Carries Potential NFL Draft Repercussions
- “Old Grumpy NFL Coach Who Lost His Touch”: Ex-Pro Sounds Off on Bill Belichick After Reports of Fall Out With UNC
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