Bill Belichick: Coach North Carolina a ‘dream come true’
Bill Belichick is set to begin his first season with North Carolina, marking his first venture at the collegiate level after his legendary tenure with the New England Patriots.
Belichick’s decision to join North Carolina holds a strong personal connection with his father, who previously coached at the university from 1953 to 1955. During his introductory press conference, the 72-year-old called the move a “dream come true.”
“It just never really worked out,” Belichick said via ESPN. “Had some good years in the NFL, so that was OK, but this is a dream come true. I grew up in college football with my dad. As a kid, all I knew was college football.”
He is now the oldest head coach in college football, held by North Carolina’s previous coach, Mack Brown (73). Tar Heels have struggled to succeed consistently, with the school’s most recent ACC championship coming in 1980.
Want $250 to bet on the NFL?
Belichick is confident that his experience and approach will help transform North Carolina into a professional organization.
“When I say a pro program, I would say through my experience, what we did in terms of training, developing players, running pro systems, pro techniques,” Belichick said. “So when the players leave here, this isn’t going from the wishbone to a pro offense. It will be similar terminology, similar techniques and fundamentals, similar training, similar preparation techniques that have been very successful for me through the years, whether other college teams use them or not. I mean, some are, some aren’t, but I just know that these will prepare the players for that.”
Belichick will spend the next several weeks filling out his coaching staff ahead of the now much-anticipated 2025 season.
