Bill Belichick‘s hiring as the head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels was one of the offseason’s biggest surprises.
Belichick, well-known for his success in the NFL, has won six Super Bowls during his time as head coach. Many believed he would remain in the NFL after parting ways with the New England Patriots following the 2023 season.
However, North Carolina chose Belichick to replace Mack Brown after their split. ESPN’s Paul Finebaum has expressed skepticism about whether Belichick will succeed in college football. On his show, “The Paul Finebaum Show,” he was asked for his thoughts on Belichick’s performance so far and did not hold back in his response.
North Carolina Tar Heels football coach Bill Belichick
Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
“I was a big proponent when he got the job,” Finebaum said. “I thought he would completely change that culture. We’re early in. My take early on is he’s completely and totally clueless when it comes to college football.”
Finebaum expressed that he’s been sensing negative vibes surrounding the North Carolina football program. He believes that North Carolina has the potential to be competitive, but he worries that Belichick may be too set in his ways to adapt quickly enough to succeed.
He sees the schedule as manageable for the Tar Heels, suggesting that there are several opportunities for wins. However, he remains uncertain about their overall success due to the potential lack of adaptation to the evolving game.
Belichick finished his NFL head coaching career with a record of 302-165 over 29 seasons. He coached the Patriots and the Cleveland Browns, but he is best known for his time with the Patriots. Due to his remarkable achievements, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest head coaches in history.
Belichick recently signed a five-year, $50 million contract to become the head coach at North Carolina. He will lead a Tar Heel program that has recorded only one double-digit win season since 1998, which occurred in 2015 when they finished with an 11-3 record.
The Tar Heels are set to open their season against the TCU Horned Frogs on September 1 at 7:30 p.m. ET.
