Bill Belichick says he'll run UNC football 'pretty similar' to the way he ran the Patriots

Bill Belichick says he’ll run UNC football ‘pretty similar’ to the way he ran the Patriots

Posted by author February 6, 2025 Football

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“Pretty similar, but instead it will be Carolina Blue and have the Jordan logo on it,” Belichick said.

Bill Belichick Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

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For years, college football coaches have been selling recruits on pro-style programs designed to get them ready for the next level. It’s anything but a new angle.

However, former Patriots coach Bill Belichick is in position to put his own unique spin on the pitch. He has the most Super Bowl championships (6) of any head coach in NFL history. He’s also second on the all-time wins list.

While he has never coached college football before being hired at UNC, there is probably no one more qualified than Belichick in terms of knowing what it takes to win and succeed at the NFL level.

During a recent appearance on ESPN’s The Pat McAfee Show, Belichick was asked how similar his approach will be with UNC football compared to his time with the Patriots.

“Pretty similar, but instead it will be Carolina Blue and have the Jordan logo on it,” Belichick said.

Belichick said some familiar faces have paid him a visit and recognized the similarities to what they were used to in Foxborough.

“It’s funny, you know, we’ve had a couple of players come through here that had been through the Patriots program,” Belichick said. “They watched us work out. They were looking and saying to the Carolina players ‘yep, that’s the exact same running program we did.’ Same running program, same lifting program.”

“So, we’re just taking the Patriot program and what we did at New England and bringing it here,” he added.” “Our strength coach Moses Cabrera, our chef Josh Grimes, several coaches, our whole program, Mike Lombardi and I are just taking the whole scouting, coaching, and training program and modifying it a little bit, but it’s what we did at New England and that’s what we’re doing here at Carolina.”

According to the 247Sports Composite, UNC football’s 2025 recruiting class is ranked No. 32 in the nation and No. 5 amongst ACC schools. Wednesday was National Signing Day.

It’s also Super Bowl week. Belichick coached in nine Super Bowls during his time with the Patriots. He was asked what his week might look like if he were coaching in the big game this week, instead of preparing for his first college football season.

“Tuesday would look like Media Day,” Belichick said. “It would be a big gameplan day to prepare for the practices on Wednesday and Thursday which are the two big practices, and then just kind of getting everything organized down there in the new city, the Super Bowl city.”

“There’s always things that come up with travel, family, other requests, and so forth that you just have to manage and work through,” he added. “But, it’s a great time, it’s a great week. The only better feeling is after you win.”

Belichick will face a new challenge this year as he attempts to guide UNC to it’s first ACC football championship since 1980. He said he has made some tweaks to his system as he attempts to adjust to college football.

But, he’s taking more than a few of his old methods south to Chapel Hill and seems eager to test them out.