Bill Belichick Takes Over UNC Football: Odds, Transfers & 2025 Season Outlook
We obviously don’t think that Bill Belichick wasn’t canvassing for an NFL job during that year after he left the New England Patriots and became a member of the media.
But he didn’t get that job. Allegedly, he wasn’t even seriously considered, except by the Atlanta Falcons, who hired someone else.
So he took on a new challenge, moving into NCAA football as the head man for the North Carolina Tar Heels.
At BetUS, they’ve posted some NCAA football odds on the Heels
- Win ACC Championship +4000
- Make the College Football Playoff: No -4000, Yes +1000
- Win National Championship: 500-1 (+50000)
- Win 10+ Games +550
- Regular Season Wins: Under 7.5 Wins -170, Over 7.5 Wins +140
Think the Tar Heels will shock the world under Belichick?
Lock in your bets now at BetUS Sportsbook and take advantage of competitive odds and generous welcome bonuses before kickoff!
Is Belichick in too deep?
Belichick does not come into the college football world with as little orientation as you might think. That’s because the circumstances surrounding the construction of a football program have changed.
Schools pay players now. And players can easily move from one school to another, chasing better offers. Is that a whole lot different than the way the NFL works?
Belichick understands this, and that is why he has brought someone on in a capacity that is relatively new in college athletics – that of a “general manager.” In his case, that guy is Michael Lombardi, who, aside from a familiar role in media as a commentator for NFL Network, also worked with Belichick at both of his head coaching stops, Cleveland and New England, as a personnel executive.
Admittedly, Belichick was not used to going into recruit’s homes to bring them on board. But even that approach has changed somewhat, because the element of money has entered into it.
You’d think the players already at the program would be chomping at the bit to be a part of the picture with a coach that had won six Super Bowls. Instead there was a revolving door. Over two dozen players left UNC in the spring, But Belichick and Lombardi were able to attract a top ten transfer class.
Who’s behind center for the Tar Heels?
One of those transfers will, in all likelihood, be the starting quarterback. Gio Lopez comes to Chapel Hill as a dual-threat signal-caller, having thrown for 2559 yards and 18 touchdowns, adding 465 rushing yards while playing at South Alabama last season. He completed 66% of his passes, yet was very proficient on deep throws. This should at least give Belichick some stability at the position.
The departure of Omarion Hampton leaves a big hole. The running back, who gained 3164 yards with 30 touchdowns over a two-year period, was drafted in the first round by the LA Chargers. The Tar Heels will turn to Davion Gause (4.9 ypc last year) and perhaps Michigan transfer Benjamin Hall to lead the ground attack. Fortunately there are three members of the offensive line returning.
Belichick’s in the middle of a defensive makeover
On defense, UNC brings back just two starters from a unit that allowed 28 points and 376 yards a game. And they lost key people like defensive end Beau Atkinson, who transferred to Ohio State. Steve Belichick, Bill’s son who was defensive coordinator at the University of Washington last year, assumes the same role at North Carolina.
They’re going to be loaded down with transfers, and that group includes Khmori House, who played for the younger Belichick at U-Dub. There’s a lot of work to do here.
They get started on September 1 (that’s a Monday) when they hist the TCU Horned Frogs. At BetUS, North Carolina is a three-point home underdog (at -105) with a total of 58.5 points.
And how will it end for the North Carolina Tar Heels?
Last season the Tar Heels went 6-7 and lost the Fenway Bowl 27-14 to UConn. Will their fate be better this season?
Well, whether they’re going to make any noise in the ACC itself is questionable. There is no doubt that this is the weakest of the “power” conferences, but they still have Clemson, Miami, SMU and Louisville, along with a Florida State program that needs to bounce back, that they’d have to leapfrog
Certainly the schedule is agreeable. They get to play Clemson at home, and the nationally-ranked schools are not there otherwise.
I don’t know how much magic Belichick can perform this year, but he’s layng a foundation. He has an experienced quarterback, a number of talented transfers from major schools, and an organization that is designed to help players to prepare for the NFL.
It’s entirely possible that this team can get to eight wins, which would pay +140 on your ticket.
