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#UNC coach Bill Belichick pre-Richmond press conference
Sep 9, 2025
#UNC coach Bill Belichick pre-Richmond press conference
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0:00
you doing?
0:01
All right. Good. Um
0:04
uh so um you know spent uh kind of
0:06
getting back on a normal kind of a
0:08
normal week here, you know, playing
0:10
Saturday to Saturday. So it's good to be
0:11
on a uh you know, on a regular season
0:14
kind of routine here. And um you know,
0:16
hopefully that'll make it a a productive
0:18
week for us all the way around. Coaches,
0:19
players, uh film study, preparation,
0:22
meetings, uh you know, all the above. So
0:25
um you know, all looking forward to this
0:27
week and and already the start of it.
0:29
It's feel like we're on a, you know, on
0:31
a good schedule here. Um, you know,
0:34
Richmond's an impressive team to watch.
0:36
Uh, you know, uh, Coach Husman's done a
0:37
good job there and, um, they have a
0:40
very, you know, experienced staff. Um,
0:43
on the offensive side of the ball, of
0:45
course, with um, you know, with Russ and
0:47
his son Jacob and, um, you know, Coach
0:49
Wood, Coach Anthony on defense, special
0:51
teams, um, they're they're very sound.
0:54
Um, they haven't given up really hardly
0:56
any big plays defensively. um done a
0:59
good job in the kicking game, made some
1:01
plays. Uh they're a good return team. Uh
1:03
they tackle well. Um and offensively
1:06
they have a um uh a balanced running
1:10
game between the quarterback and running
1:12
backs. And then um you know, mix that in
1:14
with some play action and and um you
1:16
know, getting the ball to receivers um
1:18
especially guys like Dawson and and um
1:21
you know, on some some plays, explosive
1:23
plays that um you know, we'll have to
1:25
defend. So, uh, really, really good
1:28
program. Uh, they've had a lot of
1:29
success there and, uh, I can see why
1:32
and, um, they're a team that when you
1:34
watch them again, you you see the
1:35
discipline, the toughness, the
1:36
consistency, um, down in and down out,
1:40
um, you know, over multiple games, you
1:43
know, certainly last year, but, you
1:44
know, also the two games this year.
1:49
Go ahead and get started. Front row, the
1:51
right
1:52
target 24/7. Pierce, you've been able to
1:54
talk to Kurt Culture all about his
1:55
injury and what he's dealing with and
1:57
you envision him practicing and then
1:58
playing this weekend.
1:59
Yeah, we'll take it day by day. So, we
2:01
didn't practice yesterday, so we'll go
2:03
out there today and and see where he's
2:04
at and see what he can do.
2:06
Front row middle here.
2:08
Andrew Jones starting 24/7. How
2:10
concerned are you about the offense
2:12
right now? Maybe some of the specific
2:13
concerns you have and when we see the
2:15
play calling, how's that reflected on
2:17
some of those concerns?
2:19
Yeah, I just think we need to do a
2:21
better job all the way across the board
2:22
in in each every area, offense, defense,
2:24
special teams. There's a lot of room for
2:26
improvement and just our fundamentals,
2:27
our execution. Um, some cases our
2:30
timing. Um, you know, it's we just keep
2:32
working on that. And, uh, I think it's
2:34
definitely getting better, but we're
2:36
we're certainly a long way from where we
2:37
need to be. And, you know, offensively
2:39
when, you know, when you have one
2:40
negative play, it kind of, you know,
2:42
it's tough to get 10 yards and three
2:43
downs. It's a lot tougher to get it in
2:45
two or sometimes one. So, um, you know,
2:47
avoiding those negative plays and
2:48
staying out of long yardage, uh, and
2:51
then converting the ones that we need to
2:52
convert, u, you know, all those need to
2:54
be better, no doubt.
2:56
How much do you know what your personnel
2:58
is? Maybe know what your personnel is
2:59
capable of. I mean, have you learned a
3:01
ton the last two games or is it still
3:03
kind of opened?
3:04
Yeah, well, it'll be a work in progress
3:05
for for a little while. Think we talked
3:07
about that last week.
3:09
Right behind you.
3:10
Yeah. Brian for WL. Another one about
3:13
the offensive. you you've had a couple
3:14
of explosive plays. Obviously, call they
3:16
won on the first drive, but other than
3:18
that, you had to kind of chip chip away.
3:20
I mean, the big drive in the first half
3:22
was, I think, 11 plays, 80 yards. How
3:24
much do you need to find an explosive
3:26
player or explosive plays, you know, in
3:29
in the offensive game plan, so you don't
3:30
have to go 11 plays, 12 plays to get
3:33
Yeah. Oh, it's always nice when you you
3:35
get in one play, but um
3:38
you know, to just throw it down there
3:40
and and turn the ball over, I don't
3:41
think that's the answer. So, you know,
3:42
you have to take those shots when
3:44
they're there and uh be able to convert
3:46
on them. Um but when they're not, then
3:49
they're probably better options that
3:50
that we need to um take advantage of.
3:53
So, you know, a lot of times you, you
3:55
know, you call plays it just depends a
3:56
little bit on how it matches up against
3:58
a certain call or if you get the matchup
3:59
you want, um you know, you can take
4:02
advantage of, but that doesn't always
4:03
happen. And so, uh you know, defenses
4:06
get uh you know, they got to do their
4:08
job, too. and they they don't always
4:10
make it easy for you. Especially
4:11
Richmond, you know, Richmond hasn't
4:12
given up any big plays all year. So,
4:14
they play very um as I said, very sound,
4:17
very fundamental football. Uh they do a
4:19
good job of tackling and and um you
4:21
know, they make earn every yard. So, um
4:24
you know, we'll we'll take them however
4:25
we can get them.
4:26
Firm roll up. Just one one, two, three.
4:28
Yeah. Rob Baxley, favorable observer.
4:30
Going back to watch the tape from the
4:32
Charlotte game, was there anything that
4:34
kind of popped off that you didn't
4:36
notice throughout the game flood there?
4:39
Um, no. I think that just there was some
4:41
frustration that we weren't more
4:43
consistent in our execution um in in all
4:46
three phases and and we had um uh some
4:50
things that were really within our
4:52
control that we could have done a better
4:53
job of. And so we'll we'll work on those
4:56
and see if we can eliminate uh that both
4:59
on the coaching end and on the playing
5:00
end and and just have more efficient
5:02
operation.
5:04
Yeah. Jeremiah with South Carolina. I
5:07
know we asked a little bit about this on
5:09
Saturday, but when it asked about the
5:10
run game, obviously you know June got in
5:12
there, thoughts had his touchdown,
5:14
things like that called where do you see
5:16
that room right now when it comes to the
5:18
playmakers and how much you guys still
5:19
kind of evaluating who that back might
5:21
be?
5:23
Yeah. Well, it's a really competitive
5:24
situation and um you know, last year uh
5:28
none of those guys got a whole lot of
5:29
carries. You know, when you have
5:30
Hampton, you you know, you feed him and
5:33
and they did that and that was obviously
5:35
the right thing to do. Um, so you know,
5:37
it's hard to evaluate backs until they
5:39
they get an opportunity to run against
5:42
real competition and break tackles and
5:46
can use their run skills. What it looks
5:47
like in practice is not always the same
5:50
as as in the game when there's live
5:51
tackling. So, um, we've got a feel for
5:53
how that's going, but it's very
5:55
competitive. I have confidence in all of
5:56
them. Um, they all, you know, have shown
5:58
a lot of good things and and that's why
5:59
they've gotten play in time. We'll see
6:01
how it works itself out. on the left.
6:04
Yeah.
6:05
Adam Smith in South Carolina. Bill, uh,
6:08
with Price Yates, he seemed like an
6:10
important addition for you guys out of
6:12
the portal when you got him. He's
6:14
obviously been out. Um, when do you
6:17
expect him back? And is this an issue
6:19
where it's hard to put a timet?
6:22
It's definitely hard to put a timet on
6:24
it. Yep. It's um
6:26
you know I know that he's working hard
6:28
to be back and and I know that our
6:30
medical staff is is doing the same thing
6:32
and uh we'll just have to kind of take
6:34
it day by day and see how you know see
6:36
how things progress but um you know when
6:40
he's ready he'll be ready and and I know
6:41
he's doing everything he can to be ready
6:42
but uh he just hasn't been cleared yet.
6:46
second row here in the middle.
6:47
Tommy Ashley in South Carolina. Coach
6:49
Belich, when you were evaluating guys,
6:51
you mentioned it just a second ago that
6:53
you could just found on the level of
6:55
competition, somebody having success
6:57
against a Charlotte player versus having
7:00
success against TCU. How do you how do
7:02
you and your staff sort of evaluate that
7:04
when determining, okay, this guy should
7:06
get more reps, this guy should play
7:08
more.
7:09
Right. Well, again, the we can't really
7:12
control who's on the other side of the
7:14
ball. Whoever's there is there. We can't
7:16
do anything about that. I think the big
7:18
thing we look for is just the execution
7:20
that our players are are are doing. You
7:24
know, are they
7:26
running the route at the right depth?
7:27
Are using proper technique to get open?
7:28
Are they blocking with proper leverage
7:30
and hand placement and so forth? Are
7:32
they, you know, are they defeating
7:34
blocks or covering receivers uh the way
7:37
they need to? Um it could look okay in a
7:40
certain situation, but it's really not
7:42
because it's not being done
7:43
fundamentally properly. and eventually
7:45
that's going to get exposed. So, we're
7:47
just really working hard to get better
7:49
every day at at everything we do. And um
7:51
there's certainly been a lot of
7:52
improvement, but we're we're not where
7:54
we need to be and and uh consistency is
7:56
a big part of it. And so, we'll continue
7:59
to grind away and work on that. You
8:00
know, there's no real shortcut to it.
8:02
But, sure, competition is a definitely a
8:04
factor, but we we can only control what
8:06
we can control. And uh but I think we're
8:08
doing things right, then we'll be able
8:10
to compete against good competition. And
8:11
if we don't do them right, then doesn't
8:13
really matter probably much of who we're
8:15
against. So, we're going to have some
8:16
problems.
8:17
Right next to him, coach. Second round.
8:19
Hey, Bill. Dave Nath with Sports
8:21
Network. I want to ask you about your
8:22
red zone defense. I think your
8:24
opponent's been inside 2 eight times
8:26
this year. Um, you forced two turnovers
8:28
and only allowed one touchdown. What do
8:31
you feel like this team needs to keep
8:33
doing to be successful?
8:37
Um well I mean I think that's going to
8:40
vary from team to team. You know we'll
8:41
we'll see um you know how it goes this
8:44
week certainly. Um you know W champs had
8:47
a lot of success down there. I mean you
8:49
know the running quarterbacks it kind of
8:51
gives you an extra gap. It's like a
8:53
Wildcat play where they have an extra a
8:54
gap that you have to defend because the
8:57
there's no handoff. The quarterback can
8:58
run the ball or he can't hand it off. We
9:00
have to defend both. But um it'll be
9:03
challenging in the running game against
9:04
him. But, you know, whatever any anytime
9:07
we can create long yardage situations
9:09
down there, that's always a plus. And
9:10
we've been able to get some negative
9:11
plays to get some second or third and
9:13
longs. And, you know, when it's hard
9:14
enough, like I said, to convert in three
9:16
first down and 10 yards and three yard
9:18
or three downs to get 10 yards, but when
9:21
you got to do two for 10 or one for 10,
9:24
uh, especially on a shrink shrinking
9:26
field in the red area, that just makes
9:28
it even tougher. So, um, anytime you can
9:31
get negative plays on early downs and
9:32
create long yardage, that's that's a big
9:34
key. Hopefully, we'll be able to
9:36
continue to do that.
9:37
Right on the right, coach.
9:38
Mhm.
9:39
Coach Michael, wchl, chapenboro.com.
9:42
Looking at Richmond, their quarterback,
9:43
weram seems like a pretty unique player.
9:45
Obviously uses his legs a lot. He's the
9:47
leading rusher through two games. So,
9:49
this is a 6'4 260 on the roster. How do
9:52
you go about scouting for a player like
9:54
that who has a unique body type for the
9:56
quarterback competition
9:58
for quarterback position?
9:59
Yeah, I mean it's just kind of like a
10:01
like a Ben Rothllessberger looking guy.
10:03
I mean he's he's really big. Um and you
10:06
know he's strong. He's he's a physical
10:08
runner. He's got, you know, stiff arm,
10:09
long arms, tough guy to tackle. Um and
10:12
he's a good downhill runner. So he
10:14
doesn't shy away from contact. You got
10:15
to you got to bring him down. So um you
10:18
know that'll be a big challenge for us.
10:20
No doubt about it. they have a lot of
10:21
other explosive players too and that
10:23
that keeps uh gives them a good balance
10:25
where they can get the ball outside
10:27
their skilled players or the running
10:28
backs and and then he carries it. And
10:30
I'd say the other thing that's
10:31
impressive about uh Richmond is the
10:33
receivers, they do a great job of
10:34
blocking and so um a lot of times you
10:37
count on those secondary players to be
10:38
able to come up and get involved in the
10:40
run force. Um they make it really hard
10:42
for you to do that. Uh they they do a
10:45
great job blocking. Again, the team's
10:46
very well disciplined and and tough.
10:49
They're physically tough. So, um,
10:51
that'll be a big challenge for us
10:52
right next.
10:53
Hey, Car from a developmental
10:55
standpoint, how much progress did you
10:56
see from the offense last weekend and
10:58
virtue?
11:07
Um, one more time about I'm sorry I the
11:11
first question.
11:12
Yeah. So, uh, what you see from the off
11:14
how much progress you see from the
11:15
offense last week?
11:18
Um, again, more progress fundamentally.
11:20
Um, again, doing more things better,
11:22
more consistently. Not where we need to
11:24
be yet, but definitely headed on the
11:26
right track. Um, you know, it was a
11:28
short week. We didn't have a lot of, you
11:30
know, contact work. A lot of it was just
11:32
kind of a carryover from from the TCU
11:35
game trying to, you know, get ready and
11:36
get back going again. Hopefully this
11:38
week with a little more preparation time
11:40
and fundamental work, we'll be able to
11:41
continue to make strides there. But, um,
11:43
you know, that's up to us. We still have
11:45
to do it. But, you know, I did think we
11:47
made some progress, but you know,
11:49
hopefully we look, we need to make more
11:50
and we need to have more consistency in
11:52
all three areas. But certainly on
11:54
offense, that's, you know, that's a big
11:56
key for us is our our timing, our
11:58
execution, and our fundamental play.
12:01
Shelby, go ahead.
12:02
Shelby S, the News Observer. We're
12:04
talking to some of the special teams
12:06
play today. Obviously, position that
12:08
you're particularly fond of. Um I'm
12:11
curious like when you came in um just
12:13
how you evaluate some of the issues in
12:16
recent years that special teams have had
12:18
here in North Carolina. If you take us
12:19
through what was your process of just
12:23
working with them to protect
12:27
um well you know when you're not when
12:30
you're not part of a program which I
12:32
wasn't up until I got here it's hard to
12:34
evaluate what happened before. So trying
12:36
not to put too much weight on that. I'd
12:37
say most of our evaluation came from the
12:39
spring with the players that were here.
12:41
Um, like Tom and Spencer. Um, and Reese,
12:44
of course, we got in the in the portal,
12:46
you know, at the end of the spring and,
12:48
you know, he had had a lot of good film
12:49
on tape and we thought that he could
12:51
help us and and he certainly has, and I
12:53
think we'll continue to do that. You
12:55
know, Tom's been an interesting guy for
12:57
me. I've never had a rugby punter
12:58
before, um, or Aussie punter, whatever
13:02
you want to call him. So, um, that's
13:04
been a little bit, uh, new. Now, he can
13:06
obviously punt conventionally. We saw
13:07
that last year, you know, on tape, but
13:10
uh in talking to him and and um and his
13:13
skills, you know, as a you know, as an
13:16
Aussie punter, um they're really good.
13:18
And so, we wanted to take advantage and
13:20
and utilize those. As I said, he can
13:22
clearly kick conventionally, but just
13:24
think he's even better doing, you know,
13:25
what he's been doing. So, um we've
13:28
adapted our our punting system to him,
13:31
um which has actually been good. um he's
13:34
done a great job and you know we've
13:35
covered well. Haven't had a lot of
13:37
return yards and um so we've been able
13:39
to you know handle the field position
13:41
there um when we when we've operated it
13:44
cleanly like we want to. I'm not saying
13:46
it's been perfect. I'm not saying that.
13:47
But it was I I you know it's been
13:49
interesting to do that and I think it's
13:51
it's worked out pretty well and I said
13:53
Reese has kicked the ball well and you
13:54
know Spencer's done a nice job. we've
13:57
adjusted a couple things with him in
13:58
terms of his blocking and things like
14:00
that that um um you know maybe a little
14:04
bit different than what he' done in the
14:05
past and he's done a great job on that
14:06
too. So um all three of those guys uh
14:09
really helped us you know in the
14:11
Charlotte game with with field position
14:13
with scoring and um you know putting the
14:16
offense and defense in in good
14:17
situations. Two more here for a row and
14:20
then second row.
14:20
Arrow tribute. Obviously, you play a lot
14:23
of running backs. Is that because one
14:26
guy hasn't stood out from the others or
14:28
is it just a coaching philosophy playing
14:30
a lot of running backs? Because I know
14:31
you played a lot of running backs in the
14:34
NFL and if it's the latter, what do you
14:36
see the advantages of going at it that
14:38
way?
14:39
Yeah. Again, we'll none of those players
14:41
really have very many carries going into
14:43
the year and they've gotten uh some in
14:46
the early part of the season. So, we'll
14:47
we'll see how that goes. Um I've always
14:50
said if Jim Brown was my running back, I
14:52
would leave him in the game on every
14:53
play. I'm not looking for anybody else.
14:54
So, um and they kind of did that with
14:57
Hampton here last year, which again, I
14:59
can certainly understand. I mean, he's a
15:00
great player, but um you know, we've
15:03
given these the players a chance and and
15:05
um you know, we'll continue to evaluate
15:07
them, but um you know, we'll see how it
15:09
turns out, but they're you know, I think
15:10
they're all capable. They've all shown
15:12
some good things and flashes and I have
15:14
confidence in all of them, but we'll see
15:16
how the competition plays out. You know,
15:17
we've had two games and um you know, I
15:20
think there's some things that have
15:21
gotten better as you get more game
15:23
experience and live looks at things and
15:25
so we'll you know, we'll take it from
15:27
there. But I I have confidence in all
15:28
those players.
15:30
Did you just walk in the NFL at home?
15:32
Well, again, I said if I had Jim Brown,
15:34
I'd play Jim Brown. But um I Barry
15:36
Sanders, I play Barry Sanders. But, you
15:38
know, sometimes they're players that are
15:40
have similar levels of ability, but
15:43
maybe different skills. Um you know,
15:45
when I had Kevin Faulk and and James
15:47
White, those guys were very, very good
15:49
third down backs, some of the probably
15:51
the best that have ever played. And um
15:54
and so we use them in that role. We use
15:55
other players on early downs. So, it
15:57
just kind of depends on, you know, what
16:00
you have and and how it fits into your,
16:02
you know, your offensive system.
16:04
Last one. Brian,
16:05
we saw in the in the locker room after
16:06
the game, Chancellor Roberts gave you
16:08
the game ball, and you seem genuinely
16:10
happy. You can give him a big hug. I
16:11
wondered about how instrumental he's
16:13
been in this process that you've gone in
16:15
for the last nine months, what your
16:17
relationship is like with him, and he's
16:18
been a big defender of football and
16:20
raising the bar here when it comes to
16:22
football program. Yeah, I can't say
16:23
enough about Chancellor Roberts and the
16:25
support he's given and um the backing
16:28
for the program uh in in many many ways.
16:30
Uh he's he's been great and I've really
16:33
enjoyed working with him. U Chris M
16:36
clear also in the office and and many of
16:38
uh uh Chancellor Robert's staff who have
16:40
been, you know, very helpful in the
16:42
process. So again, it's a new era,
16:44
college football. Well, there are a lot
16:45
of new things that we're uh we're
16:47
dealing with and there are also some
16:48
changes at Carolina in general from what
16:50
I understand um in in many things from
16:53
the game day presentation to obviously
16:55
the revenue NIL and so forth. So, we're
16:58
kind of working our way through those,
16:59
but he's been uh very helpful,
17:01
supportive, and and great all the way. I
17:03
mean, I couldn't couldn't ask for
17:04
anything more from him.
17:07
Thank you. Great.
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