By: Colin Lacy

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

The offseason has been eventful all across the country, but nowhere as much as in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Back in December, the Tar Heels made the announcement that shocked the college football world in hiring one of the best coaches in not just football but all of sports in Bill Belichick.

After 24 years and six Super Bowl titles with the New England Patriots, Belichick fires up a new challenge as he enters year one as any kind of college coach.

Carolina finished the 2024 season falling under .500 with a loss to UConn in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl game to bring the season mark to 6-7.

Belichick has been upfront with the way he plans on hitting college football head on. He plans to bring the NFL mindset and preparation into the college game.

One of the first pieces of that model was announced almost synonymously (if not before) Belichick was officially announced.

The first move for the former Pat’s coach was bringing in NFL front office veteran Michael Lombardi as the General Manager for the Tar Heels. Lombardi brings over 30 years of NFL experience between scouting, personnel, and serving as the Browns GM in 2013.

With Belichick and Lombardi in place, the next thing that the former “pro-model masters” was to tackle the college version of free agency.

The Tar Heels brought in the second most players in the transfer portal with 41 newcomers coming in from the portal only behind West Virginia and Purdue who brought in 54 via transfers.

The first position that had to be addressed right off the bat was at quarterback. After Drake Maye was drafted by the Patriots (coincidentally), it was a struggle for the Heels in 2024 with the signal caller.

UNC started three different quarterbacks last season and never had anyone take the bulls by the horns. This year Carolina looks to be set with Gio Lopez transferring in late from South Alabama after an impressive couple of years for the Jags in the Sun Belt Conference.

The Tar Heels have bolstered the offensive line and linebacking core in the offseason to be two of the best position groups in the ACC, but some questions really remain around some unproven talent in the skill positions.

One of the biggest losses in all of college football was what UNC lost with Omarion Hampton who was both the leading rusher and third leading receiver a year ago before now competing for the LA Chargers.

North Carolina also lost their top two pass catchers from a year ago in J.J. Jones and John Copenhaver who are no longer in the locker room.

All of the skill position replacements (at least on the offensive side) seem to be coming from within the program or Aziah Johnson who transferred in from Michigan State (albeit only hauling in 276 yards a year ago).

This North Carolina program has been one of the most talked about programs in the country, there’s no question.

To me the unprecedented transition for an NFL Head Coach to move into the college world for the first time that Bill Belichick is taking is one of the most fascinating stories in recent history of the sport.

Among those that are even remotely close to the program, I think the consensus is that Belichick will build something impressive in Chapel Hill, the question just becomes “How long will it take?”.

I don’t know if it’s realistic to think they will compete for the ACC crown and the College Football Playoff in year one, but a winning season and massive step toward that ultimate goal of the CFP is well within grasp of the Tar Heels in 2025.