By R.L. Bynum
Not many college football coaches get a national platform to make their pitch to recruits, but Carolina coach Bill Belichick continues to get that with ESPN. He took full advantage of that in his Friday appearance on “College GameDay.”
Belichick, who has also appeared on “The Pat McAfee Show” and the “ManningCast” since taking the UNC job, has already received 10 commitments from the transfer portal, and he has made the pitch to other top players.
With more players coming into the portal and additions expected after the bowl games are completed, Belichick expects to pursue many other top players.
“We’re on top of each guy, evaluating the players that we think will be coming in, but also some declare that maybe we didn’t expect,” Belichick said remotely on “GameDay,” which aired from South Bend, Ind., ahead of the Notre Dame-Indiana playoff game. “Or you start to hear players rumored to come in, and so we’re digging through all those guys. And we have a lot to offer here at Carolina, both academically, with this institution, and the football program, and just what we have to offer.”
Led by General Manager Michael Lombardi’s efforts, the Tar Heels will continue to push to bring in the top talent.
So far, UNC has worked inside-out, bringing in two defensive linemen (Melkart Aboyu-Jaoude from Delaware and C.J. Mims from East Carolina) and three offensive linemen (Christo Kelly from Holy Cross, Chad Lindberg from Rice and Miles McVay from Alabama). In addition, UNC has commitments from Purdue quarterback Ryan Browne, South Carolina tight end Connor Cox and Michigan place-kicker Adam Samaha.
Friday, UNC added a commitment from Michigan State wide receiver Aziah Johnson. The native of Richmond, who has three years of eligibility left and will be a redshirt sophomore, entered the transfer portal on Dec. 6. Saturday, UNC added Washington linebacker Khmori House.
Belichick said that there are a few qualities that he’s looking for from the top players, to whom he might offer scholarships and revenue-sharing money.
“Number one on the football side, they need to love football,” Belichick said. “If you like football, if you want to be your best, and you want to train professionally, [learn] fundamentals and techniques that are used professionally, get the most out of your ability and be with good teammates and other people who love football, then this is a great place to be. For players who don’t really enjoy football, it’s probably the wrong spot for them.
“You’ve got to love the preparation, the training, as well as the competition,” he said. “There’s a lot that goes into it, but when you work with people who have a common goal, and you come together on that, it’s actually a lot of fun to do all that, and then you see the results.”
Belichick said he’s enjoying interacting with UNC’s players and the recruits he’s trying to convince to join the Tar Heels.
“They’re young, they’re very hungry, and they’re fun to be around,” he said, “very much like the rookies that come into the NFL who know they have a lot to learn. You kind of feel the same thing about these college players — at least the ones I interacted with and what I’ve seen. I’ve talked to a lot of players here on the team, and they kind of have that same attitude.”
There was an interesting interaction with former Alabama coach Nick Saban, who was on his Cleveland Browns staff years ago. Belichick said that he’s copying Saban’s model at Alabama. Saban said that it would be easy since he followed Belichick’s model.
“We’ll get players ready for the NFL, no matter what position they play,” Belichick said. “We’ll get them ready for their lives and their careers by the accountability that comes with the program, very much like Nick did at Alabama.”
Belichick said that when he coached the Browns and dealt with free agency, the cap was around $16 million, “which is about what it is in college now, roughly in terms of revenue share. It’s kind of funny that it’s come full circle in terms of the amount of money we’re talking about.”
One big adjustment from the NFL to college is that pro players have multi-year contracts, while college players are free to leave for another program after each season. Belichick said he wasn’t too worried about that.
“I don’t really think that’s going to happen too much based on the way it appears that the contracts are being written out — whether it’s the school money or the NIL money,” Belichick said. “It seems to me with each passing time frame in this process, it’s becoming a little bit more organized, and there’s more of a system in place.
“Ultimately, I know there’s some things in the courts, and a lot of it still needs to be worked out,” he said. “But based on what I’ve seen, I think it’s becoming closer to the NFL model. Players aren’t unionized, so that’s a big difference. But fundamentally, evaluations, what the players receive in compensation, what their value is to the team. I think all those are in play. It’s just a little bit lower.”
Belichick got a lot of exposure to what college football was like last season when he visited with the Washington program and Coach Jedd Fisch. Steve Belichick, his son, is the defensive coordinator.
“I had a great chance to observe a lot of things they were doing,” Belichick said. “It was really so enlightening to me to see how much improvement the kids made in the spring, just with spring ball being in pads, something that we never do in the NFL. So the dramatic improvement in the players and their receptiveness to coaching and getting better.”
Belichick praised the support the administration, the Board of Trustees, the alumni and fans have given him, although he also thanked the “Ram Club,” instead of the Rams Club.
He’s still got time to brush up on that before the August opener against TCU.
| Month/ date | Score/ time | Opponent | Record/ TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| September | |||
| 1 | L, 48–14 | vs. TCU | 0–1 |
| 6 | W, 20–3 | at Charlotte | 1–1 |
| 13 | W, 41–6 | vs. Richmond | 2–1 |
| 20 | L, 34–9 | at UCF | 2–2 |
| October | |||
| 4 | L, 38–10 | vs. Clemson | 2–3, 0–1 ACC |
| 17 (Fri.) | L, 21–18 | at California | 2–4, 0–2 |
| 25 | L, 17–16, OT | vs. No. 16 Virginia | 2–5, 0–3 |
| 31 (Fri.) | W, 27–10 | at Syracuse | 3–5, 1–3 |
| November | |||
| 8 | W, 20–15 | vs. Stanford | 4–5, 2–3 |
| 15 | L, 28–12 | at Wake Forest | 4–6, 2–4 |
| 22 | L, 32–25 | vs. Duke | 4–7, 2–5 |
| 29 | L, 42–19 | at N.C. State | 4–8, 2–6 |
Transfer portal transactions
Incoming transfers
(Next season’s classes listed)
Senior defensive lineman Melkart Abou-Jaoude • 6–5, 260 pounds • Delaware
2024: 11 games, 10 tackles, 17 assists, 6.5 sacks for 50 yards, 8 QB hits
Senior offensive tackle William Boone (2 years of eligibility) • 6–6, 349 pounds • Prairie View A&M
2024: 12 games, team-high 782 snaps; didn’t allow a sack
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Ryan Browne • 6–4, 210 pounds • Purdue
2024: 8 games, 34 of 76, 532 yards, 4 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, 127.5 quarterback rating
Junior defensive back Coleman Bryson • 6–2, 210 pounds • Minnesota
2024: 13 games, 14 tackles, 6 assists, 3 passes defended (pick-six below from 2022 season)
Junior tight end Connor Cox • 6–6, 251 pounds • South Carolina
2024: 4 games, 1 catch, 9 yards, 1 TD
Fifth-year cornerback Thaddeus Dixon • 6-1, 186 pounds • Washington
2024: 13 games, 26 tackles, 17 assists, 2 tackles for losses, 1 interception, 10 passes defended, 1 forced fumble
Senior defensive back Gavin Gibson • 6-0, 185 pounds • East Carolina
2024: 13 games, 25 tackles, 27 assists, 3 interceptions, 3 pass breakups
Sophomore linebacker Khmori House • 6-0, 213 pounds • Washington
2024: 12 games, 19 tackles, 16 assists, 1 interception, 4 pass breakups, 1 QB hit
Redshirt sophomore wide receiver Aziah Johnson • 6–0, 175 pounds • Michigan State
2024: 12 games, 16 catches, 276 yards, 2 touchdowns; 1 rush, 15 yards
Fifth-year center Christo Kelly • 6–4, 305 pounds • Holy Cross
2024: Started 12 games, part of line that allowed 1.08 sacks per game, 11th-best in country
Fifth-year offensive lineman Daniel King • 6–5, 340 pounds • Troy
2024: 12 games, 429 snaps at right tackle, 360 at right guard, allowed 2 sacks, named All-Sun Belt second team
Senior offensive lineman Chad Lindberg • 6–6, 315 pounds • Rice (Georgia before that)
2024: Played 11 games after playing 20 games and 139 snaps for Georgia
Sophomore offensive tackle Miles McVay • 6–6, 340 pounds • Alabama
2024: 5 games, 94 snaps
Sophomore defensive tackle C.J. Mims • 6–2, 302 pounds • East Carolina
2024: 12 games, 4 tackles, 19 assists, 1.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble
Redshirt freshman wide receiver Jason Robinson Jr. • 5–10, 151 pounds • Washington
2024: Redshirted after catching 68 passes for 900 yards as a senior at Long Beach Poly
Junior place-kicker Adam Samaha • 5–11, 195 pounds • Michigan
2024: didn’t play (Wolverines had Big Ten Kicker of Year Dominic Zvada)
2023: 1 game, 1 extra-point attempt made • Hit 60-yard FG in training (in below video)
Sophomore safety Peyton Waters • 6–1, 182 pounds • Washington
2024: 13 games, 3 tackles, 2 assists
Redshirt senior defensive lineman Pryce Yates • 6–4, 265 pounds • UConn
2024: 7 games, 12 tackles, 9 assists, 3.5 sacks for 23 yards, 5 QB hurries; Fenway Bowl defensive MVP
Tar Heels entering, exiting portal
(Next season’s classes listed)
Redshirt sophomore 5–11, 180-pound defensive back Ty Adams
2024: 4 tackles
Sophomore 6–3, 300-pound offensive lineman Aidan Banfield
2024: 62.8 Pro Football Focus grade best in country among true freshmen
Fifth-year 6–5, 310 fifth-year center Austin Blaske
2024: Started 11 games with Pro Football Focus grade of 85.6
Junior 6–0, 230-pound linebacker Amare Campbell
2024: 12 games, 42 tackles, 30 assists, 11 tackles for losses, 6.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble
Fifth-year 5–11, 220-pound running back Caleb Hood
2024: 4 games, 7 carries, 3 yards, 1 catch, 29 yards
Senior 6–1, 190-pound wide receiver Kobe Paysour
2024: 12 games, 19 catches, 330 yards
In the transfer portal
— Offensive linemen Zach Greenberg (committed to James Madison), Jakiah Leftwich (Central Florida), Malik McGowan (UNLV), Andrew Rosinski (Georgia Tech), Howard Sampson (Texas Tech) and Eli Sutton (Austin Peay)
— Running back Jordan Louie
— Quarterbacks Conner Harrell (Charlotte), Michael Merdinger (Liberty) and Jacolby Criswell (East Tennessee State)
— Linebackers Ashton Woods (West Virginia) and Caleb LaVallee (Florida State)
— Defensive lineman Travis Shaw (Texas)
— Defensive backs DeAndre Boykins and Tyrane Stewart
— Place-kicker Noah Burnette (Notre Dame)
Reported Belichick’s staff members
General manager Michael Lombardi — Worked in NFL 1984–2016, including Cleveland Browns general manager in 2013 and assistant to the coaching staff for the New England Patriots 2014–16
Director of Player Personnel Joe Anile — NFL scout for the New England Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars
Assistant Director of Player Personnel Andrew Blaylock — Assistant athletics director for player personnel at Central Florida the last three seasons; had similar positions at Appalachian State 2016–22 and Texas State 2015–16
Defensive coordinator Steve Belichick — Defensive coordinator last season at Washington; New England Patriots defensive coach 2012–23
Strength and conditioning coach Moses Cabrera — New England Patriots assistant strength coach 2011–15; head Patriots strength and conditioning coach 2016–23
Offensive assistant coach Bob Diaco — Was defensive coach at LSU the last two seasons; has coached in college since 1999.
Offensive-line coach Will Friend — Offensive coordinator last season at Western Kentucky; was offensive line coach at Tennessee (2018–20), Auburn (2021–22), Mississippi State (2023) and Tennessee; offensive coordinator/offensive line coach at Colorado State (2015–17) and offensive line coach at Georgia (2011–14)
Cory Giddings — Will be part of player personnel staff; Director of Player Personnel at Central Florida the past two seasons, working with Blaylock there, and before that at Appalachian State
Armond Hawkins — Was secondary analyst and assistant director of recruiting last season at Washington. Before that, he spent one season at Arizona, one season at Colorado and two seasons at Southern Cal.
Defensive assistant coach Chris Jones — CFL coach 2002–18, 2021–2024; 2018 CFL Coach of Year at Saskatchewan; head coach in 2015 of Grey Cup champion Edmonton Eskimos; Cleveland Browns defensive assistant coach 2019
Offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens — UNC run-game coordinator and tight ends coach 2023–24; interim UNC coach for 2024 Fenway Bowl; head coach Cleveland Browns 2019; Assistant coach with New York Giants (2020–21), Browns (2018), Arizona Cardinals (2007–2017), Dallas Cowboys (2006), Mississippi State (2004), North Texas (2001–03), LSU (2000) and Glenville State (1999)
Offensive assistant coach Matt Lombardi — Was an offensive analyst last season at Oregon; NFL assistant with Las Vegas Raiders and Carolina Panthers
Running backs coach Natrone Means — A UNC running back (1990–92) who was a two-time All-ACC pick, he has been with the program since joining Mack Brown’s staff as an offensive analyst in 2021.
Offensive assistant coach Garrick McGee — Was wide receivers coach at Louisville the last two seasons. Has coached in college since 1996.
Chris Mattes — The former professional lacrosse player had been the New England Patriots’ Director of Football Development, and had been with the team the last eight seasons.
Assistant coach Billy Miller — IMG Academy assistant head coach 2014–21, head coach 2022–24
Special teams coach Mike Priefer — NFL assistant coach since 2002; head special teams coach at Kansas City (2006–08), Denver (2009–10), Minnesota (2011–18) and Cleveland (2019–22).
| Month/ date | Score/ time | Opponent | Record/ TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| September | |||
| 1 | L, 48–14 | vs. TCU | 0–1 |
| 6 | W, 20–3 | at Charlotte | 1–1 |
| 13 | W, 41–6 | vs. Richmond | 2–1 |
| 20 | L, 34–9 | at UCF | 2–2 |
| October | |||
| 4 | L, 38–10 | vs. Clemson | 2–3, 0–1 ACC |
| 17 (Fri.) | L, 21–18 | at California | 2–4, 0–2 |
| 25 | L, 17–16, OT | vs. No. 16 Virginia | 2–5, 0–3 |
| 31 (Fri.) | W, 27–10 | at Syracuse | 3–5, 1–3 |
| November | |||
| 8 | W, 20–15 | vs. Stanford | 4–5, 2–3 |
| 15 | L, 28–12 | at Wake Forest | 4–6, 2–4 |
| 22 | L, 32–25 | vs. Duke | 4–7, 2–5 |
| 29 | L, 42–19 | at N.C. State | 4–8, 2–6 |
Photo via ESPN screenshot
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