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#UNC coach Bill Belichick press conference before Wednesday's practice
Aug 13, 2025
#UNC coach Bill Belichick press conference before Wednesday's practice
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0:00
So, we're uh you know, we're rolling
0:02
through here. We're in practice 12. So,
0:06
right, is it 12?
0:13
10. All right. So, 10. So, um you know,
0:17
40% of the way through uh camp before
0:19
the the opening. Um really impressed
0:23
with the way the players are working. Uh
0:25
they they're in good shape. Um
0:27
you know, they're working hard. Um, you
0:30
know, we're slowly but surely bringing
0:33
things together day by day. Definitely
0:34
not there yet. Um, but getting closer.
0:38
Um, this will be our second day in full
0:40
pad. So, we've got, you know, an
0:42
opportunity to work on some things here.
0:45
Um,
0:48
you know, today u from pad standpoint on
0:50
our fundamentals with pads on and so
0:53
forth, um, that we can't do in, you
0:55
know, less gear. So, um,
0:59
excited about the the week here that we
1:01
have coming up and the rest of it uh
1:04
through the weekend. And then, you know,
1:06
we'll start to get into classes and more
1:08
regular season routine. Um you know, as
1:10
the players get on a little different
1:12
schedule, not a training camp schedule,
1:14
but their daily um academic schedule and
1:17
and that's where we'll be the rest of
1:18
the year. So,
1:20
that's kind of where we are at this
1:22
point.
1:24
questions.
1:26
Coach, how long does it take? How long
1:28
do you anticipate it taking the kind of
1:30
evaluation?
1:35
Um, yeah. Uh, it's a good question. Um,
1:39
just have to figure it out as we go.
1:40
Some some things will clear up sooner
1:42
than others. Others might take a while.
1:45
Once we know though, we'll, you know,
1:47
we'll make that decision. But until we
1:49
know, we'll let play out. What do you
1:52
know about this team that you didn't
1:53
know at the beginning of camp?
1:57
Well, we have a lot of new players, so
1:59
seeing them play is the biggest thing.
2:01
And we have 40 guys that weren't here in
2:02
the spring. So, getting a chance to
2:05
watch him um you know, go through
2:07
football stuff, not just training
2:09
exercises, but actually go out there and
2:11
play. That's that's been the biggest
2:13
thing. At least we know have an idea of
2:15
what they can do and where they can fit
2:16
in. on the left here.
2:18
Uh, Bill, bringing in Mike Freeer as
2:20
special teams coordinator. What is it
2:22
about his coaching style that you like
2:23
and what have you seen out of special
2:25
teams so far in camp?
2:28
Um, well, you know, special teams, as I
2:30
said, we're at 10 practices. There's six
2:32
special teams units, not counting the
2:34
hands team and a bunch of other uh
2:36
oneoff situational type situ
2:39
kicking plays. But um you know we
2:43
haven't had enough practices to be very
2:45
far along in any area, but we're moving
2:48
along in every area. So uh it'll take a
2:50
little while, but you know, Mike's got a
2:52
lot of experience. I've known him for a
2:53
long time. He's a very accomplished
2:54
coach, has a lot of experience, has
2:56
worked with a lot of players, and I've
2:58
seen us get a lot better. But um you
3:00
know, it's an area of the game that we
3:01
have a long way to go in. Um, you know,
3:04
certainly, uh, you know, having two new
3:06
kickers in here is, uh, also been part
3:08
of the adjustment, but, uh, they're
3:10
both, you know, very good. I'm glad we
3:12
have them. And, uh, you know, as long as
3:15
well as with the new snapper, new
3:16
partner. So, four of our six specials
3:18
are new and, uh, you know, evaluating
3:20
them will be a big, you know, big part
3:22
of it as well. But, um, you know, Mike's
3:24
done a good job with them and and it's a
3:26
very competitive situation, a lot more
3:29
so than we had earlier in the year. So
3:31
excited to see how all these guys play
3:32
out.
3:33
Back left.
3:34
Bill, we're going to ask you about the
3:35
linebackers specifically as a position
3:38
group and
3:38
a lot lot of new names. You need a
3:40
program.
3:41
Well, right. Just your evaluation to
3:43
this point of that group. It sounds like
3:45
Andrew Simpson has played well in
3:47
practice. Just what have been maybe your
3:49
overall thoughts and some of these guys
3:51
specifically if you don't mind.
3:53
Yeah. Well, again, I'd say the
3:55
evaluation is really for these players,
3:57
all of them is, you know, probably
3:59
coming in the next call, 10 practices.
4:01
Um, up to this point, there's been a lot
4:03
of learning, a lot of um, uh, multiple
4:06
groups where guys are in there with
4:08
different people. So, the timing is not
4:10
always exactly right to try to get a
4:11
look at everybody. Um, now that
4:14
everything's
4:16
other than some situations, our our core
4:18
stuff is in and everything, offense,
4:20
defense, special teams, now we can get
4:22
more consistent work on it and more
4:24
consistent evaluation of players that
4:25
are improving, players that are leveling
4:27
off and maybe players that are are not
4:30
uh improving at the same rate as other
4:31
guys are or so. In other words,
4:33
declining this fall, relatively
4:34
speaking. So, we'll just see how all
4:36
that goes. But, um, the linebackers are
4:38
a new group. Um, some of them are
4:40
familiar with some of the techniques and
4:42
and things that we do. Some of them
4:43
aren't. Um, so we just teach to
4:46
everybody, but they're definitely coming
4:47
together. They're a hardworking group.
4:49
They communicate well and but they have
4:52
to work with a lot of teammates, not
4:53
only the linebackers, but the guys in
4:55
front of them and the coverage
4:56
adjustments behind them. So, uh, it's a
4:58
process, but we're, you know, we're
4:59
grinding through it and, you know,
5:01
definitely making progress.
5:02
Next to him on the left.
5:03
Yeah, Bill. Of course, the running back
5:05
room was one with, you know, a blend of,
5:06
you know, returners, transfers,
5:08
freshman, things like that. Obviously,
5:09
last year, kind of had that workforce of
5:11
Maria Hampton, you know, end up being a
5:13
first round pick. What will the, I
5:14
guess, process of trying to maybe
5:17
replicate that production as a unit?
5:19
What do you kind of anticipate that
5:21
looking like with this new?
5:24
Well, it's hard to imagine any one
5:25
player having the production that
5:26
Hampton had, but collectively, I mean,
5:28
we'll see. Um, it's a good group, very
5:30
competitive group. Um these guys are are
5:33
talented um but they have different
5:35
skills and part of our challenge is
5:37
figuring out um how to use um you know
5:40
their skills and still fit it within the
5:43
you know the entire offense. So um you
5:45
know being in the passing game, pass
5:47
protection, um outside runs, inside
5:50
runs, um things like that are all, you
5:53
know, things that we're trying to get a
5:55
feel for what what guys do, what they do
5:57
best, and um and how to best utilize
5:59
them. So, um, but it's it's a pretty
6:02
deep group and we'll see how it all
6:04
plays out, but I definitely don't think
6:05
it's all going to come from one person.
6:07
I think this is going to be, um,
6:10
we have a number of guys that are
6:12
talented and we'll just see how they,
6:13
you know, how how that plays out.
6:15
Right in front, coach.
6:17
I know y'all have implemented yoga in
6:19
the training regimen. Is that new this
6:22
season or was it um, in place last year?
6:24
And um to follow up, what
6:27
hold Let me just do one at a time cuz I
6:28
can't I can't keep it all straight. So
6:31
um
6:33
look, with all due respect, I'm not sure
6:34
exactly what was or wasn't done here
6:36
last year in all the different areas. I
6:38
I yoga is a recovery technique. It's not
6:41
really a training technique. We use it
6:42
for more for recovery. And uh and there
6:45
are a lot of benefits to it. And
6:47
certainly it's a good way after a couple
6:48
of three four days of hard practices to
6:51
u you know give the body a chance to
6:53
recover um you know stretch get the
6:56
blood flowing and and so forth. So
6:58
that's really what it's used for. I
7:00
can't honestly comment too much on what
7:01
happened when I wasn't here.
7:03
Yeah. Well um how has that improved or
7:07
sped up the recovery process for the
7:08
guys?
7:09
Yeah, it's part of the recovery process
7:10
and we do a lot of things for recovery.
7:12
obviously food, nutrition, um hydration,
7:16
sleep, um treatment, uh soft tissue
7:19
massage, contrast hubs, uh yoga, uh foam
7:24
rollers, uh stretching, those kind of
7:26
things. Um I mean, I just rattled off
7:29
probably a dozen of them or whatever. Uh
7:32
so there's a lot of things that we do.
7:34
Uh they're all part of it. Some guys use
7:36
some more than others depending on what
7:37
they're trying to accomplish. So um it's
7:40
a comprehensive program. It's not just
7:42
based on one thing. Um, but you know,
7:45
the yoga sessions are are a part of it.
7:48
Back right here.
7:49
Coach, for my TV audience in Western
7:50
North Carolina, you've got two guys on
7:52
your roster. They're both defensive
7:53
backs. Uh, Coleman Borson Connley.
7:56
Anything you can tell me about that
7:58
position group and maybe those guys in
7:59
specific.
8:01
Um, yeah, both had good camps. Uh,
8:03
they've been out here on a regular
8:04
basis. cuz again, that's how you get
8:05
better is um you're healthy, you
8:07
practice every day, you improve every
8:09
day, and then you stack those days
8:10
together, and they they've been able to
8:12
do that. So, um as I said, we still got
8:14
a long way to go. You know, over half of
8:16
of camp is still remaining. So, we'll
8:18
see how much that improvement continues.
8:20
Um but they've done a good job in terms
8:23
of not just their physical skills, but
8:25
communication, uh our defensive
8:27
adjustments and things like that, which
8:28
we're going to, you know, we have to do
8:30
a good job of this year.
8:31
Back left. So, coach, you mentioned that
8:33
you've got your core stuff installed at
8:36
this point. Uh, one one of the things
8:37
I'm curious about is there a lot of
8:39
different ways that different coaches go
8:41
about installing in terms of scheduling,
8:44
how to install that core stuff. I mean,
8:45
you have like the air raid guys that,
8:47
you know, it's a three-day install that
8:49
repeat multiple times, that sort of
8:50
thing. Can you take us through a little
8:52
bit uh about how your schedule works
8:55
especially with and and maybe uh talk
8:59
about the differences between college
9:00
and pro and how you may have had to
9:03
adjust that in terms of offensive and
9:04
defensive installations and what your
9:06
schedule is for for installations at
9:08
that point.
9:10
Yeah. Um that's a great question. Um I
9:12
don't think it's college and pro. I
9:14
think honestly it's uh pads or no pads.
9:17
Um, you can install a lot of the passing
9:19
game with no pads on and you know guys
9:21
run around and honestly there's not a
9:23
lot of contact or you can eliminate the
9:25
contact part and get the timing part of
9:27
the passing game, the coverages and so
9:29
forth. Um, the running game is a little
9:32
different story. So today's our second
9:34
day in pads, full pads. So we're going
9:37
to concentrate more on the running game
9:38
because this is our chance to
9:39
concentrate on it. It's not just knowing
9:41
what to do. It's actually um working on
9:43
the fundamentals of doing it. you know,
9:45
the double team blocks, the, you know,
9:48
back blocks, the kickout blocks, the
9:50
backs reading those blocks and so forth.
9:52
So, today the emphasis will be more on
9:54
that because it's our opportunity to do
9:56
it. Um, tomorrow when we won't be in
9:59
full paths, there'll be more emphasis on
10:01
the passing game, third down passing,
10:02
red area passing, two-minute drills,
10:04
things like that. So, we try to uh a
10:06
little bit based on what we're wearing
10:08
um emphasize what's, you know, what what
10:11
we get the most out of. So, the not that
10:14
we can't run routes in pads and we need
10:15
to pass protect in pads. So, it's not
10:17
exclusively running, but it's, you know,
10:20
it's it's one-on-one pass protection and
10:22
running game. And in passing days, it's
10:26
more, you know, pass patterns, screens,
10:30
uh, blitz pickup, things like that that
10:32
that coincide more with what we're able
10:34
to do from a, uh, you know, a uniform
10:37
standpoint. So, as far as the plays go,
10:40
you know, I think when you want to try
10:42
to go full speed, um, that's not the day
10:44
that you want to put in a lot of new
10:46
plays. You want to have those in so
10:48
everybody knows what to do and then you
10:49
see if they can go out there and do
10:50
them. And so, that's that's kind of
10:53
where we are now. Back in the day when
10:55
we had pads on every day, that wasn't a
10:57
consideration. You just you just
10:58
practice. Now, you kind of have to um I
11:01
would say, you know, gauge your
11:02
practices based on what what drills
11:04
you're actually able to do. Do an inside
11:06
running drill with no pads on. is
11:07
probably probably just asking somebody
11:09
banged up. So, we wouldn't do much of
11:12
that.
11:12
Last two on the right here.
11:14
Bill, where have you seen the most
11:15
improvement these first few weeks and
11:17
how these guys have implemented the
11:19
fundamentals into the competition
11:20
periods?
11:22
Um, I'd say the biggest improvement has
11:24
just come as a team um you know,
11:27
embracing the program that we're we're
11:29
installing, which is um consistency,
11:32
dependability, physical and mental
11:34
toughness. um you know just being
11:36
productive every day. You know,
11:37
everything we do is important and um all
11:41
the details are important and so um
11:44
embracing that and and embracing the
11:46
little things and doing the little
11:47
things right and and so forth is uh it's
11:51
hard. It's hard but that's what it
11:52
takes. And so um gradually I think we've
11:55
done a better job of that. We're making
11:57
a lot less mistakes than we made um
11:59
earlier. not just because we've done
12:02
them more, but because I would say we
12:03
care more about making sure that the
12:05
little things are done right. So, if we
12:07
can do that, that'll that'll bode well
12:09
for us in the future. Um, if we don't,
12:12
eventually those little things will, you
12:14
know, keep the big things from happening
12:16
the way we want to. So, we'll see how
12:18
that comes out, but I think that's a big
12:20
thing for us.
12:21
Last one on the right. Brian, when we
12:22
talked to Mike Lombardi, he said that
12:24
you wanted to build this team from the
12:25
lines out. when it came to revenue
12:27
sharing, how much did you adhere to the
12:29
NFL model of that and how much did you
12:31
say we need to really build on the
12:33
offensive?
12:35
Right. Well, you know, I think that's a
12:38
little bit more of a long-term question.
12:39
Um, I mean, right now we're kind of in
12:42
between in the revenue, like what it's
12:44
going to be next year is a little bit
12:45
different than what it is now. And um,
12:47
we're going to have a recruiting class
12:49
come in that's going to affect it more
12:51
than what last year's recruiting class
12:53
because we didn't really have much. So,
12:55
I think the economics are are going to
12:57
change significantly from 25 to 26. Um,
13:01
and again, that's really something that
13:02
Mike is um um more involved with than I
13:07
am. Um, and again,
13:11
I just say, generally speaking, look,
13:13
you want to try to get good players. Um,
13:16
you know, I mean, I wouldn't want to
13:17
lose a good player over a few thousand
13:20
dollar because, you know, say we were
13:23
over our budget, executive player, we
13:26
give him a little bit of the extra money
13:27
to get them and figure it out somewhere
13:29
else. So, um, it's a very fluid
13:32
situation, but, you know, to Mike's
13:34
point, I definitely agree and and Mike
13:36
and I are on the same page. Offensive
13:38
and defensive lines are important. You
13:40
got to have that. You got to have a
13:41
quarterback. You got to have somebody
13:42
can rush faster. You need somebody that
13:44
can cover. needs somebody that could
13:45
score. You know, the guards don't score,
13:47
right? So, somebody's got to be able to
13:49
score points. So, you know, it's it's
13:52
not just that, but if you don't have
13:53
that, it makes everything else a lot
13:54
harder. So, um you know, in the end, you
13:57
want to build a balanced team that can
13:58
win on offense, defense, and special
14:00
teams because at some point, you're
14:01
going to need need plays from each of
14:03
those units to win critical situations
14:05
in close games. And if they can come
14:08
through, you're going to win. And if
14:09
they can't, you know, you're not. So um
14:12
it's not just that but that's a critical
14:14
part of it. So um yes there's a lot of
14:17
emphasis there like a dollar figure I
14:19
mean I no we don't have that.
14:22
Thank you guys. Appreciate it.
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