Bill Belichick’s first year at North Carolina has already come with the kind of scrutiny that follows a coach with his résumé, but Saturday’s trip to No. 25 Pittsburgh could be the clearest sign yet that the Tar Heels are moving in the right direction.
Belichick is the greatest NFL coach of all time, with six Super Bowl titles as a head coach of the New England Patriots and two more as defensive coordinator of the New York Giants. That kind of success raised the bar the moment he was shockingly hired by North Carolina in December 2024. But the jump from the pros to college has not been clean, and the Tar Heels have dealt with a lack of success in 2024, off-field investigations, and other drama that have kept Belichick in the hot seat even as the team has shown clear improvement.
There have been signs of life. North Carolina’s 11-point loss to No.
3 Notre Dame stood out because the Tar Heels pushed the Irish harder than anyone had all season, showing they could rally against one of the country’s best defenses. It still wasn’t enough to keep fans in the stands last Saturday, but it did offer a glimpse of what this team can be when it functions at a higher level.
Now comes a road test that could mean more than just another conference game. Pittsburgh is missing its star quarterback for the season and still managed a walk-off win over Virginia Tech, though the Panthers were outgained by roughly 200 yards in that game. That opens the door for North Carolina, which has the defense and run game to hang around and win if the offense can hold up its end.
Billy Edwards Jr. is central to that. If the starting quarterback can turn in steady performances, the Tar Heels’ offense becomes a much more complete operation, and that matters in a game like this.
A win in Pittsburgh would not just count as another result in the standings. It would give Belichick a signature victory in Year 2 and strengthen North Carolina’s case for bowl eligibility as the schedule begins to tilt more favorably.
The next three weeks still bring unbeaten Duke, Syracuse, and No. 4 Miami, so there is no easy path ahead.
But beating Pitt would still be a real step forward - the kind of result that shows progress in a program that looked down and out in the mud. And if North Carolina keeps building from there, it could become a sneaky trap threat for the league’s best teams.
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The biggest decision appears to be on the perimeter, where UNC has more options than obvious answers at both wing and point guard. Neoklis Avdalas, Matt Able, Terrence Brown Jr., Isaiah Denis, Angelo Brizzi, Jarin Stevenson and Maximo Adams are all part of the conversation, and the uncertainty around who starts and who settles into what role is already one of the defining storylines of the new era. Malone does not need to solve everything in one exhibition, but he does need to start narrowing the picture. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Just Added Another Huge Piece For Courtney Banghart's Future Core
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Ojo said the fit at North Carolina stood out because of the academics, the coaching staff and the team environment, a familiar formula for Bangharts staff when it lands a coveted prospect. For a program that continues to think ahead while staying competitive in the moment, Ojos pledge adds another high-upside piece to a core that could keep taking shape in Chapel Hill. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Gets A Crucial Chance To Reset As Pressure Builds Fast
North Carolinas 2-0 start already feels distant after consecutive conference losses to Clemson and Notre Dame, and now the Tar Heels are staring at a tricky road back to traction. The timing is unforgiving, because the next opponent is undefeated Pittsburgh and the Panthers are doing it with a new starting quarterback in Holden Geriner after the injury to Mason Heintschel, which adds another layer of uncertainty to a game North Carolina badly needs to steady itself.
For Drake Edwards Jr. and the offense, this is as much about response as result. The Tar Heels have spent the last stretch searching for cleaner execution and a better rhythm under coordinator Bobby Petrino, and the matchup with Pitt offers a fresh chance to reset the conversation before the pressure builds even more. How North Carolina handles the quarterback side and the adjustments around it will go a long way toward determining whether this becomes a turning point or just another missed opportunity. [Read more 🡒]