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Bill Belichick is fulfilling his promise to turn North Carolina into an NFL program at the college level. The new Tar Heels head coach is putting together a coaching staff worthy of any professional team, recovering pieces from his former entourage at the New England Patriots to turn UNC into an NCAA powerhouse.
When he first received the appointment, Belichick made a promise: "The program would be a pipeline to the NFL for the players that have the ability to play in the NFL." He assured the fans that North Carolina would be a professional program in every sense, from training to nutrition, without forgetting coaching and football techniques.
The six-time Super Bowl winner brought many familiar names from his time with the Pats to Chapel Hill, who will look to replicate the success they had in the NFL, now in college football. He also added a couple of new faces that will refresh the system of the experienced helmsman.
Who makes up Belichick's coaching staff?
In a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), Carolina Football announced its head coach's staff with an eloquent message, "Ready to coach 'em up this spring." The staff is led by offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens and defensive coordinator Steve Belichick.
Belichick's eldest son, Steve, was an integral part of New England from 2012 to 2023, and in 2024, he was DC for the Washington Huskies. Along with him came his younger brother, Brian, to take care of the defensive backs, with special attention to the safeties.
And if we're talking about former Patriots, we couldn't forget Michael Lombardi, Belichick's eternal right-hand man, who will now serve as the Tar Heels' General Manager. Also, Billy Miller, who was for some time the Pats' special teams coordinator, will now resume the role with North Carolina.
As for the new blood on Belichick's staff, Matt Lombardi, Michael's son, will be in charge of coaching the quarterbacks, while former All-Pro Jamie Collins will take his first steps as a coach, taking charge of the Tar Heels' linebackers under Belichick's supervision.
The first test for Belichick and his team
Belichick formally opened his stint as North Carolina's coach this Tuesday, March 4, with the first spring training. Practices will extend through April 12, with three sessions per week, which will not be open to the public.
It's still unknown if the team will have any spring games, but its regular season kicks off on September 1 against the TCU Horned Frogs. This will be the first real test for the new coach and only then will we know if he's fulfilling his promise to turn North Carolina into a hotbed for the NFL.