North Carolina’s defense has looked sharp through two weeks, and now the picture around who’s actually steering that unit is getting clearer.
The Tar Heels are 2-0 after wins over TCU and FCS East Tennessee State, and the numbers have been eye-catching early: just 6.5 points allowed per game. That kind of start is enough to make people take notice, especially with Clemson’s offense off to a rough stretch. But the bigger question around Chapel Hill was simple - who has been making the defensive calls?
The answer, according to reporting from Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports, is Brian Belichick. Not Bill Belichick.
Brian has been the one handling play-calling for UNC’s defense, including the first two games of the season. He also called the shots in the opener against TCU in Dublin, when North Carolina held the Horned Frogs to 10 points, and again in Week 2 against East Tennessee State, when the defense gave up just three.
That setup is now expected to continue. Zenitz reported that Brian Belichick is currently expected to remain North Carolina’s defensive play-caller moving forward.
Secondary coach Brian Belichick is currently expected to be North Carolina’s defensive play-caller moving forward, sources tell @CBSSports.
Has called UNC’s first two games, as was reported by @BruceFeldmanCFB too, and the expectation is he’ll continue on as the play-caller. pic.twitter.com/wveg62bYiT
- Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) September 17, 2026
The timing matters because Steve Belichick resigned from his role as defensive coordinator on Thursday morning, and his exit clears up some of the confusion around how the defense has been operating. Brian Belichick stepping into that role again gives Bill Belichick one less thing to juggle as the season moves forward.
It also comes at a time when North Carolina has already seen another notable departure this month, with former general manager Michael Lombardi out a few weeks ago. With those changes, Belichick’s attention can shift elsewhere, and the source material suggests that could mean more focus on offense and special teams.
That third phase is one area where Belichick-led teams are usually strong, and it’s an area the 74-year-old coach may now emphasize even more. North Carolina could use help there, along with some added lift on offense from Bobby Petrino’s group and Billy Edwards Jr.
For now, the biggest takeaway is that Brian Belichick has emerged as a key figure on the staff, and his work on defense has been part of why UNC has started fast. If that holds up, Clemson could be in for a long night. On the other side, Chad Morris is being tasked with pushing the rest of Dabo Swinney’s staff to do better.
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