By R.L. Bynum
CHAPEL HILL — Bill Belichick spent the majority of Monday’s press conference deflecting questions about the investigation surrounding his program, but when the subject turned to football, he had plenty to say.
UNC (1–0) hosts East Tennessee State (1–1) at noon at Kenan Stadium (ACC Network) in a game that also marks the 100th anniversary of the stadium’s opening, and Belichick acknowledged the milestone before turning his attention fully to the opponent and how he used the time during the week off.
“Overall, you take advantage of whatever time you have,” he said. “If you have a long week, then eventually you’re going to have a short week, and vice versa. So, when you have the opportunity to do extra work, then you try to take advantage of it and get the most out of it. That’s what we did.”
He said he was glad to be back home after UNC’s trip to Ireland, and that the trip was now behind him as preparation shifts to week two.
Belichick reflected on the 15–10 season-opening win over TCU, acknowledging that his team left production on the table in all three phases, even in a contest he viewed as competitive overall.
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He said TCU did a good job attacking UNC’s weaknesses and that his staff would spend the week correcting mistakes that popped up during the game, a normal part of the early stretch of any season when new opponents present new problems to solve.
One area Belichick pointed to as a bright spot was the offensive line, which played its first game together as a full unit against TCU and was in the game for every offensive snap.
He explained that having all five starters on the field allowed them to communicate more effectively and handle the exotic looks TCU’s defense threw at them, including line stunts and safeties who dropped into the box and effectively played like linebackers.
“That group playing together cohesively is very important for the success of the offense,” Belichick said, “but also in coordination with a quarterback, because he needs to know, especially in pass protection, who’s blocked and who isn’t. We’re way ahead of where we were last year, and hopefully we can continue to build on that.”
The running back room remains one of the more competitive position groups on the roster, and Belichick made it clear no one has separated himself from the pack through one game. He pointed to solid outings from Jaylen McGill, who scored a touchdown, along with starter Benjamin Hall and Demon June, saying he was confident in the depth of the group even without a clear lead back emerging yet.
“If we had Jim Brown or Omarion Hampton, and he was standing out as clearly the best player that’s never going to come off the field, that’d be one thing,” Belichick said. “But these guys are all very competitive. It’s always better to have one too many or two too many running backs than not enough. We’ve been there before, and that’s not good.”
Several younger players also saw extended snaps in the opener, and Belichick emphasized that their playing time was earned in the spring, summer and training camp rather than handed to them.
He said the group generally handled a difficult road environment maturely and competitively, with plenty of room still to improve, and that continued playing time will depend on what they show in practice each week.
Belichick then launched into a detailed scouting report on ETSU, a team he described as an explosive offense. What he didn’t say was that ETSU is 1–1, with a 49–37 home loss to Campbell and a 48–14 home victory against Division II Tusculum.
The Buccaneers are averaging more than 42½ points through two games and 506 total yards (190 rushing and 316 passing).
Belichick noted that ETSU has not scored fewer than 14 points in any quarter this season, a mark of consistency that stood out to him on video.
He credited Buccaneers coach Chris Healy for building a well-balanced attack behind redshirt freshman 6–1, 211-pound quarterback Mason Mims (46 of 62 for 615 yards, five touchdowns and one interception) and a physically imposing tight end in 6–7, 254-pound Charlie Browder (eight catches for 87 yards and one touchdown).
“Browder is a guy who’s been in a couple of schools, did a nice job at UCF,” Belichick said. “It’s a big, good-looking, [tall] tight end. He’s a problem.”
Belichick also pointed to ETSU’s return game as a challenge, singling out kick returner TJ Payton (3 returns, 100 yards) and punt returner Xavier Gaillardetz (4 returns, 74 yards) as dangerous playmakers UNC’s special teams units will need to account for on Saturday.
On defense, he credited senior safety Mike Jenkins (seven tackles) and redshirt sophomore Jarvis Johnson (13 tackles) as two of the more disruptive players UNC will see.
Photo courtesy of UNC-Chapel Hill
