Dec 12, 2024; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels new head coach Bill Belichick speaks to those attending his hiring announcement  at Loudermilk Center for Excellence. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

QB recruit Bryce Baker talks with Bill Belichick, stays with UNC

Four-star quarterback Bryce Baker, after speaking with new North Carolina coach Bill Belichick, will sign with his home-state Tar Heels on Dec. 18, the high school senior told ESPN on Saturday.

Baker verbally committed in June 2023 to North Carolina and then-head coach Mack Brown, who was fired at the end of the regular season. Baker didn’t sign with the Tar Heels during the early signing period Dec. 4-6 and reportedly communicated with Penn State and LSU as UNC searched for its next head coach, which became Belichick on Wednesday. Baker had made an official visit to Penn State on Nov. 30.

A phone call with Belichick, the six-time Super Bowl champion coach during his long, dominant tenure with the New England Patriots, led Baker to stick with UNC. He liked Belichick’s vision as a professional program at the college level.

“Their experience in the NFL is huge,” Baker told ESPN. “They’ve been on the level that I’m trying to get to. I feel like that separates them from a lot of other schools. They want to develop me, and they know the intricacies that will help me get to my goals. I feel like (Belichick) will bring in the right pieces to build around me. They’re going to make me a priority.”

Listed at 6-foot-2 1/2 and 195 pounds, Baker is the No. 80 player in the country, the No. 8 quarterback and the No. 3 player in North Carolina in the 247Sports composite rankings for the Class of 2025.

He passed for more than 3,000 yards and 36 touchdowns with four interceptions and six rushing TDs his senior season at East Forsyth High in Kernersville, N.C.

Baker said that after signing, he will enroll at North Carolina in January and play for a coaching staff different from the one to which he initially made his commitment. Belichick, 72, signed a five-year contract with UNC after having no college coaching experience. His 333 wins as an NFL coach (including playoffs) are 15 short of breaking the all-time record held by Don Shula.

“I have to trust that he’ll bring in the right pieces and the right staff to help me out as far as having success,” Baker said. “I want to get developed and be as prepared as possible so when the opportunity comes, I’m ready to seize it.”

–Field Level Media

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick on the sidelines in 2023.

Bill Belichick, North Carolina agree to five-year deal

Bill Belichick rejoined the coaching ranks at a different level on Wednesday, landing a five-year contract to take over as the head coach at North Carolina.

The deal must be ratified by the university’s Board of Trustees and Board of Governors. A special session will be held Thursday, according to multiple media outlets.

The five-year pact would pay the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach a total of $50 million, The Athletic reported.

Belichick’s father, Steve Belichick, was an assistant coach at the University of North Carolina from 1953-55. Bill Belichick takes over a Tar Heels program that has not won a conference title since 1980.

Belichick said in a statement released by North Carolina, “I am excited for the opportunity at UNC-Chapel Hill. I grew up around college football with my Dad and treasured those times. I have always wanted to coach in college and now I look forward to building the football program in Chapel Hill.”

North Carolina chancellor Lee H. Roberts added in a statement, “This is an exciting day for Carolina football and our University. Carolina is committed to excellence and to creating an opportunity to succeed in everything we do, from the classroom to the field of competition. I know after speaking with Coach Belichick that he shares that commitment. His legacy speaks for itself, and we look forward to working together on the next chapter of Carolina football.”

Belichick will replace Mack Brown, whom North Carolina fired at the end of the regular season. The Tar Heels (6-6) will play in the Fenway Bowl on Dec. 28 in Boston.

Tar Heels athletic director Bubba Cunningham said in a statement, “We know that college athletics is changing, and those changes require new and innovative thinking. Bill Belichick is a football legend, and hiring him to lead our program represents a new approach that will ensure Carolina football can evolve, compete and win — today and in the future.”

Belichick, 72, parted ways with the New England Patriots following the 2023 season after 24 years with the franchise. He was out of coaching this year despite interviewing for multiple NFL vacancies last offseason, and has been working multiple roles in the media.

Belichick has 333 wins as an NFL coach and needs 14 more to break the all-time wins record for NFL coaches held by Don Shula. However, according to reports earlier this week, he was surprised not to hear from the NFL teams with existing vacancies.

It will be his first coaching position at the collegiate level. His son, Steve, is the defensive coordinator at the University of Washington and a prominent role for him at UNC was reportedly a part of his father’s pitch to the Tar Heels. Huskies head coach Jedd Fisch was a former assistant for Bill Belichick, who spent significant time around the Washington program over the past year.

During an interview with “The Pat McAfee Show” on Monday, Belichick outlined what he believed he could bring to a program during the NIL era that has contributed to other coaches such as Nick Saban leaving college football.

“The college program would be a pipeline to the NFL for the players that had the ability to play in the NFL,” he said. “It would be a professional program, training, nutrition, scheme, coaching, techniques that would transfer to the NFL. It would be an NFL program at a college level and an education that would get the players ready for their career after football, whether that was (at) the end of their college career or at the end of their pro career.

“But it would be geared toward developing the player, time management, discipline, structure and all that, that would be life skills, regardless of whether they’re in the NFL or somewhere in the business.”

–Field Level Media

Oct 29, 2023; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick walks onto the field prior to the game against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

Reports: Bill Belichick, North Carolina agree to 3-year deal

Bill Belichick has agreed to a three-year deal to take over as the head coach at North Carolina, according to multiple reports Wednesday night.

According to The Athletic, the deal reportedly could be worth up to $30 million.

The six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach has been in contract discussions with the program following multiple meetings with the search committee. WTVD reported that the UNC board of trustees met Wednesday to approve the contract.

He will replace Mack Brown, whom North Carolina fired at the end of the regular season.

Belichick, 72, parted ways with the New England Patriots following the 2023 season after 24 years with the franchise. He was out of coaching this year despite interviewing for multiple NFL vacancies last offseason, and has been working multiple roles in the media.

Belichick has 333 wins as an NFL coach and needs 14 more to break the all-time wins record for NFL coaches held by Don Shula. But according to reports earlier this week, he was surprised not to hear from the NFL teams with existing vacancies.

Belichick’s father, Steve Belichick, was an assistant coach at UNC from 1953-55. Bill Belichick now takes over a Tar Heels program that has not won a conference title since 1980.

It will be his first coaching position at the collegiate level. His son, Steve, is currently the defensive coordinator at the University of Washington and a prominent role for him at UNC was reportedly a part of his father’s pitch to the Tar Heels. Huskies head coach Jedd Fisch was a former assistant for Bill Belichick, who spent significant time around the Washington program over the past year.

During an interview with “The Pat McAfee Show” on Monday, Belichick outlined what he believed he could bring to a program during the NIL era that has contributed to other coaches such as Nick Saban leaving college football.

“The college program would be a pipeline to the NFL for the players that had the ability to play in the NFL,” he said. “It would be a professional program, training, nutrition, scheme, coaching, techniques that would transfer to the NFL. It would be an NFL program at a college level and an education that would get the players ready for their career after football, whether that was (at) the end of their college career or at the end of their pro career.

“But it would be geared toward developing the player, time management, discipline, structure and all that, that would be life skills, regardless of whether they’re in the NFL or somewhere in the business.”

–Field Level Media

After 24 seasons as the New England Patriots' head coach, Bill Belichick is trying his hand as a TV analyst.

Report: Talks between Bill Belichick, UNC continue

Six-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick is continuing to explore the head coaching opportunity at North Carolina, ESPN reported Monday, with a resolution expected by the end of this week.

Multiple outlets previously reported that Belichick interviewed with the Tar Heels last week in New York, and according to the Raleigh News & Observer, Belichick “blew them away in the interview.”

However, there are concerns about his age — Belichick is 73 — and the fact that he’s never coached at the college level, per reports.

After he and the New England Patriots agreed to part ways following a 24-year stint, Belichick interviewed for the head job with the Atlanta Falcons, who instead hired Raheem Morris. The North Carolina interview is the first known instance of Belichick showing interest in a college position.

Belichick is expected to draw interest for NFL openings in the upcoming hiring cycle.

The Tar Heels retained an outside advisory firm to identify coaching candidates to replace Mack Brown, whom they fired at the end of the regular season. North Carolina went 6-6, including 3-5 in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Two other prominent names that were initially in the mix for the North Carolina head coaching job have dropped off. Jon Sumrall has reportedly told Tulane that he plans to stay as head coach of the Green Wave. Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, a 2005 graduate of North Carolina, has informed the school he intends to stay with the Steelers.

North Carolina has reportedly also spoken to Army head coach Jeff Monken, whose team was a perfect 8-0 in their first season in the American Athletic Conference and finished 11-1 overall. Monken is also a possibility for the West Virginia head coaching vacancy left by Neal Brown’s dismissal, according to multiple reports.

North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham expressed optimism regarding the school’s search for their next head coach.

“We are very optimistic of where we are, the interest in our program is just extraordinary, and we’ll get a great coach to lead us. Who can lead us in the next three, five, 10 years? We need somebody that can come in and take us from good to great,” Cunningham said in an in-house interview the school posted online last week.

–Field Level Media

After 24 seasons as the New England Patriots' head coach, Bill Belichick is trying his hand as a TV analyst.

Reports: Bill Belichick interviews for North Carolina job

Six-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick interviewed for the head-coaching job at North Carolina, Inside Carolina and the Raleigh News & Observer reported Thursday.

According to the News & Observer, Belichick “blew them away in the interview,” yet he is not likely to move forward because he is pushing 73 years old and has no experience in the college game.

After he and the New England Patriots agreed to part ways following a 24-year stint, Belichick interviewed for the head job with the Atlanta Falcons, who instead hired Raheem Morris. The North Carolina interview is the first known instance of Belichick showing interest in a college position.

Belichick is expected to draw interest for NFL openings in the upcoming hiring cycle.

The Tar Heels retained an outside advisory firm to identify coaching candidates to replace Mack Brown, whom they fired at the end of the regular season. North Carolina went 6-6, including 3-5 in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

“We’ve had a tremendous response of people across the country, of agents calling us, coaches, people calling on behalf of other people that are in the industry,” North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham said in an in-house interview the school posted online earlier this week.

“We are very optimistic of where we are, the interest in our program is just extraordinary, and we’ll get a great coach to lead us. Who can lead us in the next three, five, 10 years? We need somebody that can come in and take us from good to great.”

–Field Level Media

Cleveland Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens paces the sideline in the fourth quarter during an NFL Week 17 game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2019, at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati. Cincinnati Bengals won 33-23.

Cleveland Browns At Cincinnati Bengals Football 12 29 2019

Freddie Kitchens to coach North Carolina in bowl game

Former NFL head coach Freddie Kitchens will serve as interim coach for North Carolina’s expected bowl game after the recent firing of Mack Brown.

Kitchens served as run game coordinator and tight ends coach the past two seasons. Brown’s final day as head coach is Sunday.

“Freddie Kitchens is an incredibly talented coach who is respected by our student-athletes and staff,” North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham said in a news release. “He is dedicated to doing all he can to help lead our program through this transition, and we appreciate his willingness to take on this role.”

North Carolina informed Brown last week that he wouldn’t return as coach in 2025. Saturday’s 35-30 loss to North Carolina State was his final game and concluded a 6-6 regular season, including 3-5 in Atlantic Coast Conference play.

Kitchens, 50, went 6-10 in 2019 in his one season as coach of the Browns.

That was part of 16 seasons he spent in the NFL as a coach. He held assistant posts with the Dallas Cowboys (2006), Arizona Cardinals (2007-17), Cleveland (2018) and New York Giants (2020-21).

Brown is the winningest coach in North Carolina history with a record of 113-79-1 over two stints (1988-97, 2019-24).

–Field Level Media

Nov 30, 2024; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels wide receiver Tylee Craft (13) scores a touchdown as North Carolina State Wolfpack cornerback Devon Marshall (16) and linebacker Sean Brown (0) defend in the second quarter at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

NC State beats North Carolina for fourth straight time

CJ Bailey threw for 242 yards and two touchdowns as visiting North Carolina State reached bowl eligibility by beating Atlantic Coast Conference rival North Carolina for the fourth consecutive season 35-30 on Saturday in Chapel Hill.

Bailey, a true freshman, completed 14 of 20 passes and also rushed for 54 yards on 14 carries. Hollywood Smothers paced the rushing attack with 83 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries, while also picking up 34 receiving yards on three catches for the Wolfpack (6-6, 3-5 ACC).

Jacolby Criswell threw for 273 yards and three touchdowns on 18-of-33 passing for the Tar Heels (6-6, 3-5 ACC). Omarion Hampton totaled 253 yards of total offense and two touchdowns on 26 touches.

The Wolfpack are assured of a non-losing regular-season record for the 10th time in 12 seasons under coach Dave Doeren.

The loss marked the final regular-season game for the Tar Heels under Mack Brown, who is in his sixth season of his second stint leading the program. It remains unclear if Brown will coach North Carolina in its bowl game.

With 1:51 left to play, Hampton snagged a short shovel pass from Criswell, knifed through the teeth of the defense, outran five defenders and dragged another into the end zone, covering 47 yards. His 40th career touchdown leaves him third in program history — and the extra point gave North Carolina a one-point advantage.

But NC State quickly responded, driving 75 yards in just six plays and 86 seconds. The drive was highlighted by Bailey connecting with Noah Rogers, covered by two defenders, for 44 yards. Smothers capped the possession with a 2-yard scamper.

The Wolfpack scored on all six of their possessions in the second half. For the game, they led in time of possession by about 11 minutes.

After the game, several players from both sides were involved in a fight on the field.

The Tar Heels played the majority of the game without one of their top pass rushers, Kaimon Rucker — who has six sacks and an interception this season — after he was hit by an NC State player away from the action on a play in the first quarter.

Rucker had to be carted off the field and did not return. The team said he suffered a lower body injury.

The Wolfpack got on the board first thanks to a 2-yard touchdown run by Smothers. The score was set up by Wolfpack edge rusher Davin Vann, who took possession back for NC State with a strip sack. Vann picked up his sixth force fumble of the season after entering the weekend leading FBS.

–Field Level Media

Sep 10, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Mack Brown waves to fans after a victory against the Georgia State Panthers at Center Parc Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

North Carolina’s Mack Brown won’t return in 2025

Mack Brown will not return as head coach at North Carolina next season, the school announced Tuesday.

The Tar Heels (6-5, 3-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) play their regular-season finale Saturday at home against rival North Carolina State.

The university said no decision has been made about whether Brown, 73, will coach the team in a bowl game.

Brown is the winningest coach in UNC history with a record of 113-78-1 over two stints (1988-97, 2019-24).

“Mack Brown has won more games than any football coach in UNC history, and we deeply appreciate all that he has done for Carolina football and our University,” athletic director Bubba Cunningham said in a news release. “Over the last six seasons — his second campaign in Chapel Hill — he has coached our team to six bowl berths, including an Orange Bowl, while mentoring 18 NFL draft picks.

“… We thank Coach Brown for his dedication to Carolina, and wish him, Sally and their family all the best.”

He also coached at Tulane (1985-87) and Texas (1998-2013), winning a national championship with the Longhorns in 2005.

Brown’s overall record is 282-149-1 in 35 seasons as a head coach, including a 14-12 record in bowl games. He was the ACC Coach of the Year in 1996, the Big 12 Coach of the Year in 2005 and 2009 and the Bobby Dodd national Coach of the Year in 2008. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2018.

“While this was not the perfect time and way in which I imagined going out, no time will ever be the perfect time,” Brown said in a statement. “I’ve spent 16 seasons at North Carolina and will always cherish the memories and relationships Sally and I have built while serving as head coach.

“We’ve had the chance to coach and mentor some great young men, and we’ll miss having the opportunity to do that in the future. Moving forward, my total focus is on helping these players and coaches prepare for Saturday’s game against N.C. State and give them the best chance to win. We want to send these seniors out right and I hope our fans will show up Saturday to do the same.”

Brown has three years remaining on his contract in Chapel Hill. His salary for the 2024 season was $5 million, according to USA Today. The school said remaining payments will come through the athletic department and not state funds.

The university’s announcement came one day after Brown said he intended to return in 2025.

“I’m not gonna think about retiring. I’m not gonna talk about retiring,” Brown said Monday. “… There will be a morning when I’ll get up and I’ll say, ‘You know what, somebody else should be leading this team. They’re better than I am at this at this point.’ Then I’ll go do something else.”

North Carolina started 3-0 this season before a stunning 70-50 home loss to James Madison on Sept. 21 sparked a four-game losing streak.

–Field Level Media

Nov 2, 2024; Tallahassee, Florida, USA;  North Carolina Tarheels head coach Mack Brown during warmups before a game against the Florida State Seminoles at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Myers-Imagn Images

Mack Brown expresses desire to return to UNC in 2025

Mack Brown intends to return to North Carolina next year for his 36th season as an FBS head coach.

Asked about his future at his weekly press conference Monday, the 73-year-old Brown said, “You never talk to your athletic director until the year’s over. Everybody always does that. My total focus is on NC State. What an awful thing to be talking about me when we just played a bad game and need to beat State.”

A reporter followed up with the direct question of whether he planned to return in 2025, and Brown replied, “Yes.”

The Tar Heels had a four-game losing streak early in the season and are coming off a 41-21 loss at Boston College. Following a 70-50 loss to James Madison in September, Brown said he would step down if he felt he could no longer do the job of coaching the program to success.

Brown led the Texas team that won the 2005 national championship with a 13-0 record and a classic Rose Bowl win over Southern California.

He spent 10 seasons at North Carolina before taking over at Texas and he returned to the Tar Heels in 2019. In a combined 16 seasons in Chapel Hill, Brown’s teams have gone 113-78-1, including 6-5 this year.

A College Football Hall of Fame inductee in 2018, Brown has gone 282-149-1 as the head coach of Tulane (1985-87), North Carolina (1988-97, 2019-24) and Texas (1998-2013).

–Field Level Media

Nov 16, 2024; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels running back Omarion Hampton (28) scores a touchdown as Wake Forest Demon Deacons defensive back Nick Andersen (45) defends in the fourth quarter at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

North Carolina, BC likely to engage in ground-and-pound battle

After clinching bowl eligibility for the sixth consecutive season, North Carolina aims for a four-game win streak and its third straight road victory Saturday when it faces Atlantic Coast Conference foe Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Mass.

The Tar Heels (6-4, 3-3) have sandwiched a pair of three-game win streaks around a four-game skid following their 31-24 home victory over Wake Forest last week. Extending their run against the Eagles (5-5, 2-4) will take a hard-nosed effort.

The two teams rely on the run more than any other teams in the ACC, with North Carolina’s league-high 415 rushing attempts one more than that of Boston College.

“It’s going to be a fight. It’s going to be such a competitive game,” Tar Heels coach Mack Brown said. “Both teams are going to run the ball, so it’s going to be the toughest man wins on this one. And they’re both tough, so it’s going to be (who is) the toughest for the longest.”

Omarion Hampton rushed for a season-high 244 yards against Wake Forest. The junior needs only 78 more to become just the fourth ACC player in the past 20 years with 1,500 yards in back-to-back campaigns.

“Omarion is a machine,” Brown said. “He’s protected the ball, he’s caught the ball well, he’s done everything perfect for us.”

North Carolina has had a 100-yard rusher in every game between Hampton (142.2 rush yards per game) and freshman Davion Gause.

Boston College pushed then-No. 14 SMU to the final minutes of a 38-28 road loss last week, as Kye Robichaux’s second touchdown brought the Eagles within three in the fourth quarter.

After getting the ball back following a punt, though, the offense — led by Grayson James for the first time since Thomas Castellanos departed the program — was forced to turn the ball back over on downs.

Leading the Eagles’ rushing attack, Robichaux went for 288 yards and four touchdowns over the last two weeks. UCF transfer Jordan McDonald has broken out for 196.

“(McDonald is) one of the most improved players on our team — and he’s done it on the practice field,” coach Bill O’Brien said. “He’s playing with a lot of confidence right now and we’re really counting on him.”

A win separates the Eagles from bowl eligibility for the second straight season. They beat SMU in the Fenway Bowl last December.

“At the end of the day, it’s all about North Carolina. If you take care of business, then you’ll be eligible,” O’Brien said. “We’ve got a big challenge ahead of us, so I think that’s our focus.”

North Carolina is 6-2 in the all-time series, having won five straight since Boston College claimed the 2004 Continental Tire Bowl in Charlotte.

–Field Level Media