Andrew Simpson is ready to lead UNC football’s linebacker corps under Belichick

The typically gruff Bill Belichick cracked a smile last week when asked about his linebackers.

“A lot of new names,” he said on Aug. 13 at a training camp news conference. “You need a program.”

Linebacker Andrew Simpson, though, doesn’t need a program — or much prompting — to explain who he is.

“I want to be a leader,” the redshirt senior said Wednesday, answering his first news conference question as a Tar Heel. “I want to hit the field with this last-play mentality. Every play like it’s your last. Play hard, play fast, play physical. Be a coach on the field, somebody that you can depend on.”

That “do everything” attitude, if it pans out, will be crucial for a UNC program in transition. The linebacker room, in particular, has been turned upside down: Five linebackers transferred out during the spring window — Amare Campbell (Penn State), Michael Short (Virginia Tech), Curtis Simpson (Charlotte), Cade and Crews Law (Memphis) — while Belichick’s staff added four newcomers via the portal: Andrew Simpson (Boise State), Jonathan Agumadu (Oklahoma State), Mikai Gbayor (Missouri) and Timir Hickman-Collins (Florida State).

With that degree of turnover, Simpson isn’t just learning a new scheme. He’s stepping into a linebacker room built from scratch, one that must improve for UNC’s defense to take a much-needed step forward in 2025. In that environment, and with that task, a versatile player who can coach teammates isn’t just helpful — it’s essential.

From Boise State to Bill

Even with secrecy clouding the Tar Heels’ current evaluation period, Simpson stands out as a player to watch — particularly in the absence of Campbell.

Simpson was named to the Butkus Award Preseason Watch List, an honor given to the nation’s top linebacker, and arrived in Chapel Hill fresh off Boise State’s College Football Playoff debut last December. Across three seasons as a Bronco, Simpson racked up 141 tackles (94 solo), 12.5 sacks, five forced fumbles and three interceptions.

Simpson feels this experience has prepared him to play at the Power 4 level. At UNC, that confidence is bolstered by comfort. Simpson is now reunited with former high school teammate Khmori House, a sophomore linebacker who played 12 games under Steve Belichick at Washington last year.

“He’s helping me out a lot,” Simpson said. “He was already familiar with a lot of stuff that Steve brought in and a lot of stuff that Carolina brought in with the first few months he was here. He’s been guiding me the way I would expect a vet to do.”

Simpson is also benefiting from the experience of his inside linebackers coach, Jamie Collins, who won a Super Bowl with Bill Belichick in New England. The transfer said having a coach who’s gone through the same workouts, practices and schemes — who understands things from “the entire lens” — makes him want to work even harder.

“If you make a great play, I’m sure he’s probably made a play like that too,” Simpson said. “So he doesn’t let you get too much in your head about what you do, good and bad, it’s just about getting better.”

‘We’ll just see’

Defensive coordinator Steve Belichick, UNC football’s highest-paid assistant coach, is a “firm believer” that a defense starts up front.

“Everybody else is important. I’m not, you know, taking those guys off the hook,” he said. “But I think when those guys play well up front, it makes everybody’s job a lot easier.”

The challenge, though, is putting those pieces together.

While some linebackers were more familiar with Bill Belichick’s techniques, others faced a sharper learning curve. There’s a lot being thrown at them, to be fair, especially with the sheer number of new faces.

“They have to work with a lot of teammates,” Bill Belichick said Aug. 13. “The linebackers, the guys in front of them, the coverage adjustments behind them. It’s a process, but you know, we’re grinding through it.”

Timing is another issue. College preseason doesn’t offer the luxury of the NFL’s elongated tune-up.

And now, Bill Belichick must factor in this wrinkle in his players’ schedules: classes.

UNC’s fall semester started Monday, and now the Tar Heels are juggling textbooks with tackling drills.

“You have the three preseason games in the NFL and a couple scrimmages, and sometimes that will start to declare a little bit quicker,” Bill Belichick said Wednesday. “Here, you know, we’ll see how they play when they actually play in games.”

This is where the head coach might offer a little reassurance. Maybe another joke about the team’s media program, or a sarcastic remark about releasing the starting lineup.

Bill, take it away!

“We don’t have the preseason game, so we’ll just see how that works out.”

Caroline Wills contributed reporting.