UNC football’s Belichick updates on suspended coach’s return, NCAA compliance

UNC football coach Bill Belichick emphasized ball security, provided an update on cornerbacks coach Armond Hawkins, answered questions about general manager Michael Lombardi’s trip to Saudi Arabia and more in a wide-ranging press conference on Tuesday.

Hawkins, the cornerbacks coach who was suspended for violating NCAA rules related to extra benefits, is “back,” Belichick said.

“The university cleared him,” Belichick said Monday. “They went through their process with him and he’s back.”

Hawkins was suspended earlier this month for violating NCAA rules related to extra benefits. The university said in a statement released Oct. 9 that Hawkins “will remain on leave as the Department of Athletics further investigates other potential actions detrimental to the team and University.” But, per Belichick, Hawkins will be back on the sidelines and is already working with the team as it prepares to face No. 16 UVA in a series that’s known as the South’s oldest rivalry.

Dean Stoyer, UNC’s vice chancellor for communications and marketing, confirmed that Hawkins has been cleared to return to the team. Further questions about when Hawkins was cleared and what, if any, NCAA violations he was found to have committed went unanswered.

Learning NCAA rules

Belichick, the six-time Super Bowl winning head coach with no previous college coaching experience, said he and his staff have gone through the requisite compliance courses in “recruiting practices, time management, the hourly requirements and so forth.”

“I would say, if anything, I feel like maybe we spend too much time on it, to be honest with you,” he said. “We’ve gone over and over and over it to make sure that we have it right. And every time we check it, they just want to triple check and make sure we’re OK on this.”

Documents obtained by the N&O through a public records request show weekly recruiting reminders were sent out in June from associate athletic director Nate Wood to Belichick and his staff, detailing quiet periods, exceptions with unofficial visits and information on the NCAA’s extra benefits prohibition.

“Right now, we’re still making sure that we’re trying to do every single thing right,” Belichick said on Monday. “And so, you know, I think that’s the right thing to do. Did something come up? Will something come up? I mean, I’m sure it probably will. It does in every program. But we’re certainly not trying to, in any way, not take advantage of our compliance people and people who have more experience with some of the subtler rules or restrictions.”

Lombardi’s trip to Saudi Arabia

Belichick was also asked about Lombardi’s preseason fundraising trip to Saudi Arabia, saying he was familiar with the Saudi national Lombardi visited.

Last week, Stoyer told the N&O that Lombardi’s trip was “at the request of a Saudi national who is a college football fan, interested in supporting coach Belichick.”

“I was aware of it,” Belichick said. “And it was talked about and the university released a statement on it. I mean, there was no secret.”

Facing Chandler Morris

Among many off-the-field topics, Belichick also previewed UNC’s game against Virginia. The Hoos are off to their best start since 2007 and already bowl-eligible behind the performance of quarterback Chandler Morris.

Belichick called the Hoos’ recent success an “impressive string” and praised coach Tony Elliott on the “excellent job,” he’s done with the Virginia program.

“There’s certainly some similarities to the Clemson system, from his time there, that he’s brought to Virginia,” Belichick said of Elliott, the former Tigers assistant coach, “but they’re kind of their own, you know, they developed that into their own Virginia package… those guys are very sound. Don’t turn the ball over. Haven’t fumbled all year.”

The UNC head coach was asked about Morris, who The Athletic reported had expressed interest in joining the Tar Heels in the offseason. The Athletic reported earlier this month Lombardi had passed on Morris. The signal caller, who made stops at Oklahoma, TCU and North Texas before Virginia, has already racked up 1,607 yards and 11 touchdowns on the season and boasts a top-25 total quarterback rating nationally.

“I don’t really know what the source on that was,” Belichick said. “We didn’t have any contact with Chandler Morris. You know, we spoke to his agent. I mean, I don’t really know what the source of that was, his agent? Didn’t know anything about it. We didn’t know anything about it.”

Morris told reporters in Virginia he had no conversations with UNC during his portal recruiting process.

North Carolina (2-4) will face Morris and the rest of coach Elliott’s squad as the Tar Heels host No. 16 Virginia (6-1, 3-0 ACC) on Saturday at Kenan Stadium.

This story was originally published October 21, 2025 at 2:49 PM.