Patience is Not a Virtue for Belichick, UNC

Wise men say patience is a virtue, but it's tough to stay patient after North Carolina dropped its third game of the season—an ugly 38-10 loss to Clemson that left the Tar Heels at 2-3. The sting is even sharper knowing all three losses have come by an average of 29 points, with the closest margin being 25.

Earlier this week, UNC’s administration urged fans to be patient with head coach Bill Belichick and his new staff.

"It's not the kind of thing that we judge after four games or even after one season,” said UNC Chancellor Lee Roberts last Thursday. “These things take time. We last won the conference championship in 1980, and so we have significant work to do, significant investment to make to get the program where we want it to be."

UNC — Dec 12, 2024; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels chancellor Lee Roberts speaks to the media at Loudermilk Center for Excellence. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

“A minimum level of patience is required for any level of future success,” said UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Trustees chairman Malcolm Turner, a former athletics director at Vanderbilt. “I appreciate the need and desire for instant gratification, but it takes time to create success. Success rarely comes fast. It rarely comes easily. It’s not a controversial statement to say that about any organization, much less college athletics and college football."

Even general manager Michael Lombardi, responsible for many of UNC's questionable roster moves, reportedly emailed donors and boosters before the Clemson game, calling for patience and framing the situation as a rebuild. That's language usually reserved for pro franchises, which, unlike UNC, at least get to look forward to high draft picks. Then again, this is the so-called "33rd NFL team."

However, in the new age of college football and the transfer portal, it is easier to build a roster than in years past.

Belichick Wasn’t Hired to Rebuild

UNC — Oct 4, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney with North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick before the game at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The six-time Super Bowl winner wasn’t brought in to lead a rebuild. Why? He was given a five-year, $50 million contract—$10 million per year. For perspective, Belichick's annual salary is in the same range as Georgia’s Kirby Smart and LSU’s Brian Kelly, coaches at powerhouse programs that have won national championships within the last decade.

According to Axios Raleigh, the university announced an addition of $3.5 million in potential bonuses, $10 million for hiring assistant coaches, $1 million for a revamped strength and conditioning staff, and $5.3 million for other support personnel. That’s over $20 million.

The football program’s operating budget, which currently stands at $40 million, will increase by at least $8 million. This does not include the $13 million set aside for player compensation or the $7 million allocated for severance payments to Mack Brown and his staff over the next two years.

UNC — Oct 4, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Clemson Tigers wide receiver Bryant Wesco Jr. (12) attempts to catch a pass in the end zone as North Carolina Tar Heels defensive back Marcus Allen (29) defends in the first quarter at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Amid rapid changes in college sports, some universities have been forced to cut athletic programs under the new revenue-sharing plan. Recognizing that football can help sustain non-revenue sports, many have rallied behind Belichick and the team, including UNC Board of Trustees member Jennifer Lloyd.

"Coach Belichick will help us take that next leap. We are absolutely 100% committed to football and committed to winning in football," Lloyd said, according to WUNC. "We want to win a national championship in football. I said that the first day I became a trustee."

North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick during UNC's 38-10 loss to Clemson; Oct. 4, 2025 | Jackson McCurdy, Tar Heels On SI

Lloyd, who joined the Board of Trustees in 2023, wants UNC football to become one of the nation's elite programs, just as most other sports at the university have achieved.

"Why is the University of North Carolina in a JV tier? We should not be JV in anything we do, ever. And we're so excellent in every other way," Lloyd said. "The fact that we were accepting a relegated place in football was absolutely awful for most of us, and that's really (why) this core group (has) been just working so hard to try to inspire people to get us to the next level."

Sep 13, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick on the sidelines in the second quarter at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

While the University of North Carolina boasts a prestigious reputation in academics and most NCAA-sanctioned sports, its football team struggles to reach even the junior varsity level—it's arguably below that. The team ranks in the 100s in nearly every offensive category and sits in the bottom half of the ACC in almost every significant defensive category.

Also, Belichick and UNC are having a film crew produce a documentary for Hulu highlighting UNC's season. I have no idea if that is still going on because they are losing. However, I do know that if this was a rebuild, a film crew wouldn't be on campus to film it.

Indiana Has Raised the Bar

Sep 27, 2025; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti looks on during the fourth quarter against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

When Belichick first took the job, some people thought North Carolina could be the next Indiana. It is a reasonable comparison. However, the Hoosiers’ recent success only makes the Tar Heels’ poor start look even worse.

Indiana has long been one of college football’s worst programs. The Hoosiers own a record of 516-719-46 (.421 winning percentage) and haven’t won a Big Ten title since 1967. That year, they won nine games and reached the Rose Bowl, losing to national champion USC—a win total that stood as their best for 56 years until Curt Cignetti arrived.

In the three seasons before Cignetti became the head coach in 2024, the Hoosiers went 9-27 with eight or more losses in each season. In his first season, Indiana went 11-1, which was its first 10-win season in program history, and advanced to the College Football Playoff.

That momentum has carried into this season, as the Hoosiers are the No. 7 team in the country with a 5-0 record. Their highlight victory so far was a 63-10 win over then-No. 9 Illinois on Sept. 20.

What makes Indiana and North Carolina similar is that both are traditionally basketball schools, and both underwent massive roster overhauls. Carolina had 70 new players, while Indiana added nearly 50.

The key difference: North Carolina boasts a far more successful football history than Indiana.

UNC — Bill Belichick speaking to players | Jackson McCurdy, Tar Heels On SI

Still, Indiana has outperformed UNC when it comes to evaluating talent and building its roster through the transfer portal, thanks to Cignetti’s eye for players and his ability to bring over key contributors from James Madison.

Most of UNC’s top offensive players weren’t recruited by Belichick—they’re carryovers from the previous staff. But that hasn’t translated into production; the Tar Heels' offense ranks 131st out of 134 nationally and is the lowest among Power Four programs. If key players like running back Demon June and star receiver Jordan Shipp decide to transfer, where does that leave UNC?

Sep 7, 2024; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels wide receiver Jordan Shipp (1) duirng a time out in the second quarter at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

In today's college football landscape, a full rebuild takes no more than two years thanks to the transfer portal. Even if you miss in year one, you can hit big the next. The real question is, do UNC fans trust Belichick, Lombardi and this staff to pull it off? Right now, it doesn't feel that way.

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