‘It’s been great’ What Bill Belichick said about first days as UNC Tar Heels football coach

In his first week as the head coach of North Carolina’s football program, Bill Belichick hit the ground running, diving into recruiting and leveraging his NFL experience and connections to rebuild the Tar Heels’ roster.

He shared insights into the process during an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Monday.

“It’s like a combination of the hours after the draft, when you’re trying to sign the players who weren’t drafted,” he said, “and the two days before the start of free agency, and the first day of free agency… it’s a lot of dealing with the player, the agent.”

Belichick’s first portal commitment came on Tuesday from offensive lineman Christo Kelly, a grad transfer from Holy Cross. The 6-foot-4 Kelly started 23 games at center for Holy Cross and adds experience and depth to UNC’s offensive line.

Belichick’s focus will now shift back to bolstering skill positions, particularly at wide receiver, tight end, running back and quarterback.

“We really want to add those into our roster and put the most competitive team we can out there,” Belichick said. “And, of course, you know I’ll never pass up a good defensive player.”

The head coach pointed out that many of the agents representing players in the transfer portal are the same ones he worked with during his time in the NFL, which has allowed those relationships to transition smoothly into the college game.

Belichick has already seen significant interest from recruits, with many players and agents reaching out to him about opportunities to join the Tar Heels. With the transfer portal open until Dec. 28, and more players likely to enter as College Football Playoff teams are knocked out, Belichick sees plenty of opportunities ahead.

“We’ve been talking to a number of players and we have more coming in this week as part of the portal,” he said. “We have guys coming in pretty much every day this week. Still talking to a couple of high school players… [but] the majority of them are transfer players.”

Meanwhile, Belichick is also assembling his coaching staff. He has retained Freddie Kitchens — a former NFL coach who acted as UNC’s interim head coach — for the offense and called him “an important hire.”

Belichick has not officially finalized any other hires outside of Kitchens and, of course, Michael Lombardi as general manager. Belichick said he plans to prioritize recruiting first, and then turn his attention to completing the staff.

Belichick’s early momentum began with the retention of four-star quarterback Bryce Baker. The highly sought-after dual-threat prospect and in-state recruit reaffirmed his commitment after a conversation with the coach last week.

Baker, who considered Penn State and LSU during UNC’s recent coaching search, told ESPN that Belichick’s NFL vision and focus on player development were key factors in his decision.

And, if Belichick’s comments on Monday are any indication, Baker may be one of many in-state recruits to come.

“Some kids that didn’t come to Carolina, either they weren’t recruited or for whatever reason they went to another school two or three years ago, now have the opportunity to come back home and return to their home state and play in front of their friends and family,” Belichick said. “We’ve had a lot of mutual interest with players like that to bring them back to their home state.”

With transfer additions underway and a clear recruiting strategy in place, it appears Belichick’s “pro program” vision is quickly taking shape at North Carolina.

And despite concerns about his age, Belichick is clearly excited about his new role and feels “absolutely” rejuvenated.

“I’m excited to be part of the process, start on all of the newness of it,” he said on Monday. “Spring ball, schedule, recruiting, interaction with the other sports — the lacrosse team, the basketball team. I went and watched the basketball team work out yesterday… just being part of the whole community here in Chapel Hill has been amazing. It’s been great. I’ve really enjoyed it.”

This story was originally published December 17, 2024 at 1:57 PM.