CLEVELAND, Ohio — Bill Belichick’s transition from NFL legend to college head coach is quickly becoming one of the most puzzling and painful experiments in recent football memory.
After a 38–10 loss to a struggling opponent, the North Carolina Tar Heels dropped to 2–3, and the criticism has reached a boiling point.
ESPN’s Paul Finebaum didn’t mince words, calling Belichick’s stint in Chapel Hill an “abject disaster” and suggesting the future Hall of Famer is trending toward becoming “the worst coach in college football history.”
The numbers back up that sentiment.
UNC has been outscored by a combined 120–33 in its three losses to Power Four teams, including a 28–3 first-quarter deficit against Clemson, a 48-14 loss to TCU to open the season and a 34-9 loss to UCF.
Their only wins have come against Charlotte and Richmond, which are hardly confidence boosters for a program that once had postseason aspirations.
Internally, things appear just as bleak. A source close to the program described the environment as chaotic and lacking direction, with little evidence of the structure or culture Belichick was expected to instill.
Even off the field, the disconnect is showing. Belichick reportedly asked UNC’s social media team to avoid referencing the New England Patriots, a request that left the program silent on Sunday when former Tar Heel quarterback Drake Maye led a big time divisional win over the Buffalo Bills in a breakout performance.
That missed opportunity to celebrate a homegrown rising NFL star, and connect with fans, only added to the sense that Belichick’s approach may not be translating to the college game. His reputation remains intact in NFL circles, but in Chapel Hill, the results are speaking louder than the résumé.
With a bye week ahead and a road trip to Cal looming, the pressure is mounting. And unless something changes fast, Belichick’s time at UNC may be remembered less for innovation and more for implosion.