North Carolina’s season has been a roller coaster through eight games, but Bill Belichick says there’s been real progress inside the 4-4 start.
The Tar Heels have not been undone by penalties. In fact, they’ve been one of the most disciplined teams in the country, averaging 4.25 penalties and 32.4 penalty yards per game.
That’s not where the trouble has come from. The bigger issue has been inconsistency, with the offense in particular sputtering at times and quarterback play dragging down long stretches of games.
Belichick pointed to that improvement while appearing on "Coach's Corner with Bill Belichick", hosted by Jones Angell. The 74-year-old coach said he’s seen enough in recent weeks to believe the team is heading in the right direction.
A big part of that conversation is Billy Edwards Jr., who turned in his best outing of the year in last week’s loss to the Miami Hurricanes. The veteran quarterback completed 28 of 34 passes for 341 yards and four touchdowns, giving North Carolina the kind of performance it has been chasing.
Edwards Jr.’s season has largely been defined by uneven play. He’s usually been sharp early, especially on the opening drive, but the next three quarters have often gone sideways.
Against Miami, though, that pattern didn’t show up. He looked confident, poised, decisive, and potent, and he matched Miami blow for blow.
That came against Darian Mensah, who has established himself as one of the best quarterback prospects in the 2027 NFL Draft. No one should expect Edwards Jr. to duplicate that kind of stat line this week, but North Carolina does need him to stay at a competent level against UConn.
In Other News...
UNC Staff Shakeup Looks Even Worse After Damaging Investigation
North Carolina footballs internal investigation into alleged misconduct inside the program has already left a costly mark, with the school spending nearly $1 million on the inquiry. What began as a behind-the-scenes review has now spilled into public view, exposing allegations that included improper sexual relationships and drug use and forcing the program to confront a messy stretch that has already cost it two prominent staff members.
Defensive coordinator Steve Belichick and general manager Michael Lombardi both resigned in the wake of the probe, a sign of how seriously the findings landed inside the building. The investigation concluded that some actions crossed the programs standards, even if they were not deemed systemic, leaving UNC with the uncomfortable task of trying to move forward while the fallout from the review still hangs over the football operation. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Football Probe Just Raised Bigger Questions Around Bill Belichick
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has spent more than $914,000 on an internal investigation into its football program, a costly review that ended with the resignations of general manager Michael Lombardi and defensive coordinator Steve Belichick. Conducted by three law firms, the probe found isolated actions that did not reflect the universitys values, but it stopped short of concluding there was a broader breakdown inside the program.
For UNC, the bigger issue now is how much of this episode lands at the feet of Bill Belichick and how quickly the program can move past it. Chancellor Lee Roberts has continued to back the head coach, but the investigation has only sharpened the scrutiny around the structure of his staff and the culture taking shape around the Tar Heels. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Is Chasing A 5-Star Guard With Huge Class Implications
North Carolina has already landed one major piece for its future backcourt with a commitment from five-star recruit Demarcus Henry in the class of 2027, and now the Tar Heels are keeping close tabs on another elite guard who could reshape that same cycle. Brady Pettigrew, a five-star combo guard in the class of 2028, has emerged as a name to watch after visiting Chapel Hill, giving UNC a chance to stay in the mix with one of the most coveted young guards in the country.
The wrinkle is Pettigrews timeline, since a possible reclassification to 2027 would instantly put him on the same board as Henry and give North Carolina a chance to stack elite talent in one class. Multiple top programs are chasing Pettigrew, so the Tar Heels are not alone in this pursuit, but the combination of his recent visit and the possibility of an accelerated path makes this one worth monitoring closely for what it could mean for UNCs long-term roster build. [Read more 🡒]