Did you ever think you’d hear the words ‘Bill Belichick‘ and ‘North Carolina football‘ in the same sentence? The guy who built a dynasty with the New England Patriots is now trying to figure out how to text recruits, sit in living rooms with parents, and somehow make UNC a playoff contender? It still doesn’t feel real. But here we are, counting down to kickoff, wondering if this whole experiment is going to be genius or a total trainwreck.
Let’s not pretend this isn’t fascinating. What does a 73-year-old, who’s never coached a college game, do when NIL, the transfer portal, and 19-year-old QBs are suddenly part of the job description? Is he even going to enjoy this? Can he adapt? More importantly, can he win? Because fans can live with awkward pressers and grumpy sidelines. But losses? Not so much. And with Belichick, the expectations are already high even if the odds aren’t exactly in his favor.
American Sports media personality, Colin Cowherd, talked about the situation with a take so brutally honest, it’s hard to argue with. “I saw the story this morning where Ohio State lost, like a four-star recruit to Bill Belichick in North Carolina,” Cowherd said on his show. “I’m fascinated by this story. He’s [Belichick] a grumpy 73-year-old who never really showed any interest in college football at all. It doesn’t exactly scream ‘home run higher’.” He didn’t stop there. Rather, compared Belichick in Chapel Hill to Donald Trump’s first term in the White House. “I’m not sure what it’s going to look like,” he added, “but it’s going to be interesting. It could get messy.”
Cowherd questioned the fit, the timing, the roster, even the schedule. “If Belichick were in the SEC or Big Ten, he’d get rolled,” Cowherd said. “But the ACC is so god-awful outside of Clemson that he may just coach his way to a lot of wins.” UNC, he argued, doesn’t have a great quarterback; they lost their best player in running back Omarion Hampton, and Belichick’s never had success without elite QB play, not even in the NFL. “When Belichick left the NFL, he didn’t have any momentum. He felt old and archaic,” Cowherd added. “College football is changing rapidly, and the odds makers aren’t buying in either.”
“This thing could be Cirque du Soleil, this could be a circus. This has the potential to be just a mess.”@colincowherd reacts to the latest from Bill Belichick at North Carolina pic.twitter.com/PKCGk4FkfR
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) July 17, 2025
Belichick’s success has been majorly linked to elite quarterback play. In his 24-year run with New England and Cleveland, he notched an incredible 302-165 record (.647) with six Super Bowls and 31 playoff wins. But the moment Tom Brady left, the mojo disappeared. Belichick went just 47-57 in New England without Brady, a .452 win rate. Across his 10 seasons without Brady, he was only above .500 three times, made the playoffs twice, and had a postseason record of just 1-2. Cowherd couldn’t resist pointing that out, classic Belichick, without that star QB, isn’t the same draft pick. However, he has two big QB options in the upcoming season, Gio Lopez and Max Johnson.
Bill Belichick’s QB decision becomes obvious ahead of the 2025 season
So here’s where it gets interesting. UNC just revealed its reps for the upcoming ACC Media Day in Charlotte on July 22-24, and guess who’s heading there? Defensive back Thaddeus Dixon, safety Will Hardy, wide receiver Jordan Shipp, and quarterback Gio Lopez. That’s right. Not Max Johnson, the guy with SEC experience and a recognizable last name. No, it’s Lopez, who will stand alongside Bill Belichick as the face of UNC football. If that doesn’t scream “QB1,” what does? Media Day invites aren’t handed out to backups.
And look, Lopez has numbers to back it up. Last season, he threw for 2,559 yards and 18 touchdowns while rushing for 465 yards and seven more scores. Standing at 6 feet and weighing 203 pounds, the dude’s dynamic and his ability to extend plays with his legs could be exactly what Belichick needs in this new era of college football. Max Johnson, on the other hand, had a rocky ride. After transferring from Texas A&M, he saw limited time and dealt with injuries. The last season where he showed full potential came way back in 2021 at LSU, when he threw for 2,815 yards and 27 touchdowns. Since then? Not much.
So now we’ve got a 73-year-old NFL icon, a young dual-threat QB from South Alabama, and a program trying to prove it belongs in the national conversation. Belichick’s squad may not have momentum, a stacked roster, or the advantage of playing in a strong conference, but they definitely have people’s attention. And college football, for better or worse, runs on storylines like this. Will it be a mess or a masterpiece? No one knows. But buckle up, because everyone’s going to be watching.
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