By R.L. Bynum
As North Carolina opened its second spring practice under coach Bill Belichick, the veteran coach said the program is better positioned this time around, largely because of continuity that simply did not exist a year ago.
“Obviously, there’s a lot of changes from last year, but I’d say the big difference between this year and last year, for me is just that we have our team now,” Belichick said Tuesday at the Kenan Football Center. “I would say 95% of our team is in place, and we’ll have a full year of working with them. That’s way different than what we had last year.”
Belichick was hired during the early transfer portal period, which put him and his staff in a catch-up situation ahead of a 4–8 season that the Tar Heels are not facing this time around. He pointed to roster instability as a defining issue in Year 1.
“Our two quarterbacks last year in spring ball didn’t take one snap for us during the season,” he said. “We didn’t have anywhere near the continuity that we expect to have this year.”
That stability has translated into a more cohesive offseason. Belichick said the roster is largely intact and bolstered by a full recruiting cycle, something he did not have the benefit of when he arrived.
“It’s really two recruiting classes because we really didn’t have one last year,” he said. “This recruiting class are all players that we spent a lot of time and effort on and build relationships with.”
What has not changed is Belichick’s approach to defining success. He again declined to put a win total on expectations, instead emphasizing daily progress.
“For right now, we’re just looking to take it one day at a time, stack days together and have good days and string those out,” he said. “You sustain success through repeated efforts and consistency, and that’s what we’re striving for.”
Belichick enters the spring with significantly more quarterback depth, including Wisconsin transfer Billy Edwards Jr. and Texas A&M transfer Miles O’Neill, along with Au’Tori Newkirk, who now has a year in the system.
“Billy Edwards has played a lot,” Belichick said. “Miles had an outstanding high school career, and they’ve got an opportunity here. And then Au’Tori, with a year under his belt, he’ll be competitive as well.”
That competition is part of a broader emphasis on development, which Belichick described as the central theme of spring practice.
“Every day is development,” he said. “Every part of the football program is development, whether it’s the offseason program, practice, walkthroughs or film sessions.”
On the offensive side, North Carolina brings in veteran coordinator Bobby Petrino, a move Belichick said has already created better alignment than what the program experienced last season. While he did not directly criticize former coordinator Freddie Kitchens, Belichick made it clear the current partnership is further along.
“We’ve had a pretty easy time getting on the same page, and we just weren’t able to really get there last year for a number of reasons,” he said. “This year we’re much further ahead in that process.”
Belichick added that his relationship with Petrino mirrors the dynamic he had with longtime New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.
“I’d say it’s probably going to be similar to the relationship I had with Josh McDaniels,” he said. “They’re calling it, they’re running it, but there are certain things that we’re going to collaborate on, and that’s what it will be.”
Petrino comes with a reputation as being a brilliant offensive mind, and Belichick sounded eager to work with him.
“He’s had great production every place he’s been,” Belichick said. “And I’m excited to work with him.”
With more roster continuity, established leadership, and a full offseason to implement systems, Belichick believes the foundation is in place for a more stable second year. Still, his focus remains narrow.
“Our goal is to have a good day today, correct those mistakes, and build on that tomorrow,” he said. “That’s what success is.”
The calendar and format are steady, but there are some operational differences. He noted that final touches on staffing are close.
“We’ll have a couple announcements on the finalization of our staff in the near future,” he said. “These first couple days are acclimation days for all of us, coaches and players.”
Subscribe to read Tar Heel Tribune ad-free
Subscribe for a cleaner, smoother reading experience without the flashing banners, slow-loading elements, or those especially annoying pop‑up ads that interrupt the flow of the story. You’ll also get the first version of each story emailed to you. The only ads you’ll see are static, non-intrusive ads for UNC‑related books, and there are none currently on the site.
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
