Bill Belichick is sounding confident as he prepares for his second season as North Carolina’s head coach.
Belichick spoke Friday at ACC Media Day and was asked about the biggest things he learned during his first year at the helm of a college program. The answer, in his words, is essentially that there is a lot more to keep track of and more people to deal with than in the NFL.
“The biggest thing is relationships and the building of the people involved in school, the academics, compliance and training things, the hourly schedule, you have to be in compliance with,” Belichick said, via Brett McMurphy of On3.
UNC's Bill Belichick on what he learned from last season: "The biggest thing is relationships & the building of the people involved in school, the academics, compliance & training things, the hourly schedule, you have to be in compliance with."
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) July 17, 2026
One could argue that Belichick probably should have been aware of all that going in, but experiencing it is not the same thing as simply preparing for it.
Based on the results of his first season in charge, Belichick had a good bit to learn. His team went 4-8 overall and only won twice in ACC play. Things got so bad in the middle of the season that he and the school had to deny exit rumors.
Expectations should be lower for the Tar Heels this year now that it is accepted that Belichick is not simply a quick fix for success. Perhaps that will benefit him as much as the experience did.
