By R.L. Bynum
Bill Belichick isn’t going anywhere. At least not yet.
Amid swirling rumors of buyouts, reports of locker room dysfunction and a disastrous 2–3 start, UNC and Belichick released joint statements Wednesday reaffirming their commitment to each other. While the statement brought some clarity, the school’s decision to post the quotes acknowledged the volatility of the situation.
If UNC is serious about salvaging what’s left of this season and protecting its significant long-term investment, Belichick must act decisively to fix what’s broken. That will involve a lot that’s out of public view that fans only know through reporting.
But a good start will be to replace offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens, a holdover from Coach Mack Brown’s staff, or at least change who calls the plays. Have you noticed how UCLA is suddenly an offensive machine since Jerry Neuheisel became its interim offensive coordinator (going from an 0–4 start to upsetting Penn State last week 42–37 and winning at Michigan State 38–13 on Saturday)? Sometimes, change can alter the course of a season.
Kitchens’ offense ranks near the bottom nationally in scoring and total yards. UNC is 131st in total offense (264.8 yards per game) and first downs (70) out of 134 FBS teams, 121st in passing offense (161.6) and 119th in rushing offense (102.2). Kitchens, who is scheduled to meet with the media on Wednesday, was the interim coach for Carolina’s forgettable performance in the Fenway Bowl.
The quarterback situation is a mess, the play-calling is uninspiring and the unit lacks identity. A go route on fourth-and-one at Charlotte? A wildcat formation on third-and-three against Clemson? There are plenty of other examples.
Who knows what the options might be from outside the program? One possible internal candidate is offensive line coach Will Friend, who has coached in college football since 2001.
Friend (left) was the offensive coordinator last season at Western Kentucky, and his Hilltoppers ranked 20th in FCS in passing yards per game (264.6), 72nd in yards per play (5.8), and averaged 24.9 points per game. He was also Colorado State’s offensive coordinator from 2014 to 2017. In 2017, the Rams were ranked 11th in FBS in total offense per game (492.5) and 31st in points per game (33.4).
Even Belichick admitted after the Clemson loss, “It’s a lack of concentration. And part of that is coaching, too, so I’ll take my share of the responsibility.”
That accountability is welcome, but action must follow.
Kitchens, despite his NFL pedigree and two seasons in the program, has struggled to adapt to play-calling in the college game. His approach hasn’t translated, and the offense has failed to develop rhythm or consistency.
When quarterback Gio Lopez was the starter, the play selection rarely took advantage of his running ability and seemed like a better fit for Max Johnson’s skill set. But, thanks to an offensive line that hasn’t been good, fortunes didn’t change when Johnson started against Clemson.
The problems go beyond the scoreboard.
Reports of a divided locker room, staff miscommunication and recruiting violations have plagued the program. The school suspended the cornerbacks coach, Armond Hawkins, for providing extra benefits to a player’s family. The canceled Hulu docuseries only added to the perception of chaos, one that the program evidently had no interest in being documented.
If Belichick is going to turn things around in the short term, it will require some hard decisions. That means reshaping his staff, which former quarterback Brynn Renner, one of the analysts on the Tar Heel Sports Network, has called for, starting with the offense.
It means empowering leaders in the locker room and restoring trust among players, including those Belichick didn’t bring to the program. It means adapting his NFL mindset to the realities of college football.
UNC has chosen to stand by Belichick. Now, he has to fix what’s broken. That starts with a new offensive coordinator or play-caller, a clearer vision and a commitment to building a culture that works and is fair to all players, including the holdovers from Brown’s second tenure.
If the Tar Heels are going to ride out this storm, they need leadership.
UNC schedule
| Month/ date | Score/ time | Opponent |
|---|---|---|
| August | ||
| 29 | TBA | vs.TCU in Dublin, Ireland |
| September | ||
| 12 | TBA | vs. ETSU |
| 19 | TBA | at Clemson |
| October | ||
| 3 | TBA | vs. Notre Dame |
| 10 | TBA | at Pittsburgh |
| 17 | TBA | at Duke |
| 24 | TBA | vs. Syracuse |
| 31 | TBA | vs. Miami |
| November | ||
| 7 | TBA | at UConn |
| 14 | TBA | vs. Louisville |
| 21 | TBA | at Virginia |
| 28 | TBA | vs. N.C. State |
| December | ||
| 5 | noon, ABC | ACC championship game in Charlotte |
Photo by Joshua Lawton
tarheeltribune.com 
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