Bill Belichick’s run at North Carolina has already turned into one of the sport’s most talked-about messes, and ESPN’s Kevin Clark thinks the end is coming fast.
Clark made the case on “First Take” that UNC never should have hired Belichick, pointing to a rocky debut season, a thin ceiling in college football and the steady stream of off-field headaches that have followed the program. North Carolina went 4-0? No - the Tar Heels won only four games last season, and the noise around the team never really let up.
This fall has brought a little more hope on the field, but not much peace. UNC opened the season with a 15-10 win over TCU, yet the program has still been dealing with plenty of drama. On Thursday, Sept. 3, general manager Michael Lombardi resigned after being placed on paid administrative leave in late July.
Clark didn’t mince words about what all of that means for Belichick’s tenure.
“Yes, and there’s so much that goes into it,” Clark said on “First Take.” “Part of it is that the ceiling is eight wins, nine wins for Bill Belichick in college football.
They simply don’t have the resources; they don’t want to put the resources towards building a playoff team, and I think that there was maybe an expectation in the old college football that Belichick could go into a living room and say, ‘Look at my Super Bowl rings,’ and get five stars. That is no longer the case, if it ever was the case.
“But when I look at this UNC situation, first of all, it’s not even their dominant program. Basketball always will be.
If they were, maybe embarrassed themselves in basketball, but they were winning, there’s more margin for error there. This is UNC football.
It’s always going to be on the back burner, so what this has done - this era, the last two years - has brought embarrassment to the university.
“The Michael Lombardi saga has brought more embarrassment to it. Now we have the Steve Belichick investigation.
It’s not going to work from a football perspective, and it hasn’t worked from an on-field perspective. It’s fine to beat TCU, but the fact that this is some validation to win a sloppy game in Ireland against a mediocre TCU [team], that shows me how low the standards have become.
Yes, they should regret hiring Bill Belichick, and yes, I think it will end sooner rather than later.”
Clark doubled down on that view afterward, saying, “Yes, they should regret hiring Bill Belichick. And yes, I think it will end sooner rather than later.”
For now, North Carolina moves on to East Tennessee State on Sept. 12, with kickoff set for noon ET.
In Other News...
UNC Investigation Just Became A Bigger Staff Crisis Than Fans Feared
Michael Lombardis resignation as general manager added another jolt to an already unsettled stretch for UNC football, turning what had been a simmering internal issue into a broader staff problem. The Tar Heels are dealing with an ongoing investigation into alleged sexual misconduct and drug use involving staff members, and Lombardis departure only deepens the sense that this is now about more than one person or one role.
Steve Belichick and members of the recruiting staff have reportedly been part of the questions surrounding the inquiry, though no conclusive findings have been reported. For UNC, the unresolved nature of the case is what makes it so disruptive: the program is left trying to move forward while the investigation continues and the staff picture remains in flux. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Legend Tyler Hansbrough Rips NCAA As Tar Heels Wait On Crucial Decision
As North Carolina waits for clarity on Cameron Fens, Tyler Hansbrough made it plain he has little patience for the way the NCAA has handled eligibility disputes across college sports. The Tar Heels legend called the situation disgusting, taking aim at the governing body for rules that remain murky and for the slow pace of decision-making that keeps programs and players stuck in limbo.
For UNC, the issue is more than a philosophical gripe. Fens is currently ineligible and his case is still tied up in legal proceedings, leaving the Tar Heels without a final answer on a player they may need in the middle of their lineup. Until that ruling arrives, the uncertainty hangs over both the roster and the larger frustration Hansbrough voiced so sharply. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Football Faces Disturbing Questions As Staff Probe Deepens
North Carolina football is dealing with a widening internal probe that has put the program under an uncomfortable spotlight. The allegations at issue include improper sexual relationships and drug use, and the review has already reached some of the sports most visible staffers, with Michael Lombardi stepping down as general manager while the school continues to sort through what happened and who was involved.
Steve Belichick remains on medical leave as the investigation continues, leaving the Tar Heels to navigate a serious off-field situation with questions still hanging over the staff structure. For a program trying to move forward, the deeper concern now is not just the names attached to the inquiry, but how many people connected to the team may ultimately be swept into it. [Read more 🡒]