Revisiting NC State's Offseason Smack Talk Over Bill Belichick

RALEIGH — With rivalry week here for NC State and North Carolina, any tension between the two programs will finally get a release date on the football field, with the Wolfpack set to host the Tar Heels at Carter-Finley Stadium on Saturday night.

While the two head coaches, Dave Doeren and Bill Belichick, have expressed nothing but respect for one another in the week leading up to the game, members of the Wolfpack program certainly weren't blown away by UNC's decision to bring in Belichick during the offseason to turn around the dormant football program.

Hollywood Smothers and CJ Bailey — Oct 11, 2025; South Bend, Indiana, USA; NC State Wolfpack quarterback CJ Bailey (11) hands off to running back Hollywood Smothers (3) during the first half at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

Sophomore quarterback CJ Bailey discussed Belichick nearly a year ago as the Tar Heels were finalizing the decision to bring in the future hall of famer to run their program. His backfield co-star, running back Hollywood Smothers, took his feelings to the social media space, causing some uproar between the two fan bases.

While the pair have not spoken about the upcoming game during the week, both players made their feelings known about Belichick well before they'll try to dominate his Tar Heels for the first time.

Revisiting the Bailey comment

Nov 15, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; NC State Wolfpack quarterback CJ Bailey (11) looks for a passing option against the Miami Hurricanes during the second quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Bailey ended his tumultuous regular season as the Wolfpack's freshman quarterback with a dramatic win over North Carolina in Tar Heel head coach Mack Brown's final game. He established himself as NC State's quarterback of the near-future, no matter how the 2024 Military Bowl went. Before the Wolfpack's loss to ECU in Annapolis, Bailey was asked about Belichick potentially joining UNC.

"I seen that. Shoot, Bill Belichick will get it too," he told reporters in December 2024. "We're going five years (in a row). No matter who the coach is for UNC, we're going to kick them. It means a lot to play against Bill Belichick, but if he comes to play, we're going to kill them."

NC State QB CJ Bailey's full quote about UNC possibly hiring former Patriots coach Bill Belichick: pic.twitter.com/4zquu8w4pt
— Noah Fleischman (@fleischman_noah) December 11, 2024

The young freshman called his shot a year in advance. In his sophomore season, his first as a full-time starter, Bailey has proven himself to be a strong, but growing quarterback. His performance through the first 11 games passing for 2,683 yards and 21 touchdowns earned him the respect of Belichick, who clearly didn't care about the comment from a year prior.

"Offensively, a lot of explosive players certainly," Belichick began. "Starts with their quarterback, (CJ) Bailey. He's a problem."

The dart board

Oct 4, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; NC State Wolfpack running back Hollywood Smothers (3) celebrates a touchdown during the first half of the game against Campbell Fighting Camels at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

Smothers marked the other half of the Wolfpack's beef with Belichick. The running back, who rushed for 83 yards and two touchdowns against the Tar Heels in the 2024 victory, took to social media during the spring period of the season to express his feelings toward the new Tar Heel head coach.

He posted a photo of Belichick holding up the North Carolina sweatshirt from his introductory press conference taped to a board with holes poked through it and two darts on Belichick in the picture. The caption? "Target practice."

TRENDING: NC State RB Hollywood Smothers is using a picture of Bill Belichick as a dart board💀

(h/t @fleischman_noah) https://t.co/vtsjkkJvSo pic.twitter.com/C6zgzQOTb3
— On3 (@On3sports) May 15, 2025

The running back took the post down eventually, but not before it went viral around the Triangle. Both Bailey and Smothers will have a chance to back up their trash talk in Saturday's matchup against Belichick and the Tar Heels, going for a fifth-straight Wolfpack victory.

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