National Critics Continue to Miss Mark on Tar Heels' Belichick

Another national sports media personality sounded off on head coach Bill Belichick and the North Carolina football program.

This time its longtime radio/television host Colin Cowherd of Fox Sports 1. While he acknowledges the legacy of Belichick, Cowherd is not a big fan about North Carolina’s hiring of Belichick because it’s a wild card. It could either be a great hiring or a bad hire of epic proportions.

Cowherd's segment on Belichick and North Carolina starts at the 11:55 mark.

“I'm fascinated with this story,” Cowherd said. I mean, he's a grumpy 73 -year -old who never really showed any interest in college football at all. It doesn't exactly scream home run hire. You know, Belichick at Carolina feels like Donald Trump's first term in the White House. I'm not really sure what it's going to look like, but it's going to be interesting.”

Cowherd then said the Belichick era “could be Cirque du Soleil” and a “circus.”

“This has the potential to be just a mess,” Cowherd added. “And again, I think the saving grace is his schedule looks like a bunch of academic powerhouses. It's just not very good. But there's nothing here in this hire that says home run. Not good at quarterback. Lost their best player. Never really had an affinity or interest in the sport.”

While Cowherd has given high praise to Belichick in the past, he’s not a fan of the hiring.

I agree with some of Cowherd’s takes on Belichick, I think he misses the mark on others. Cowherd doesn’t have the same grasp of Carolina’s football program as someone who covers it daily. He’s a national television host based in Los Angeles, and his job requires him to discuss a wide range of sports topics from across the country. That means he can’t necessarily explain the finer details of every college football program, including UNC’s.

This isn’t to say he’s some arrogant, out-of-touch West Coast personality — far from it. It’s to simply acknowledge that he’s not a UNC beat reporter with intimate knowledge of the program’s history and internal dynamics. His view will mostly come from a national lens, which can sometimes overlook the nuances that fans in the Tar Heel State care about.

The best way to break the segment down is to honor one of Cowherd's most notable segments: where Colin was right and where Colin was wrong.

Where Colin is Right

One of the main points Cowherd makes is how easy UNC’s schedule is, and he’s not wrong. Outiside of Clemson, a decent bit of the teams the Tar Heels play are not as imposing compared to the likes of Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami and SMU.

“So, and if you look at the schedule, it looks like one of those annual U.S. News and World Report lists of the best public universities. Like, it's not exactly powerhouses. Cal, Virginia, Syracuse, Stanford, Wake Forest, and Duke. It's like that list of really, your really smart nephew told you schools he applied to. That's what it looks like. So, I don't know what I'm going to get.”

However, he believes that Belichick may not be a home run hire for the Tar Heels because of Belichick’s “lack of interest” in coaching college football and dealing with the modern age of recruiting where you have to not only recruit new players but also the ones still currently on your roster.

Fortunately for Belichick, North Carolina is an ideal fit. Coaching against Stanford and Wake Forest is far easier than facing college football’s blue bloods such as Alabama and Georgia in the SEC or Michigan and Ohio State in the Big Ten, especially when Belichick is in the twilight of his career.

“The bad conference thing is what gives it legs,” Cowherd said. I mean, if you put them against Michigan, Ohio State, USC, Oregon, Washington, they're an eighth place team. Illinois this year would house them. Illinois is going to be really good. It could get messy. I think if Belichick was in the SEC or the Big Ten, he'd get absolutely rolled. He'd get rolled. But the ACC is so god -awful outside of Clemson that he may just coach his way to a lot of wins.

Where Colin is Wrong

Cowherd questioned both Belichick’s fit in today’s college game and UNC’s chances in the ACC. As aforementioned, he said that what would keep the hiring from being a complete disaster was the ACC’s lack of strength.

“Like, when Belichick left the NFL, he didn't have any momentum. He felt old and archaic. And college football is changing rapidly. So, the oddsmakers do not buy. I was told this morning by Greg on our staff, the oddsmakers, that they've given them the ninth best odds to win the horrible ACC. Somewhere around Duke.”

While Colin is somewhat right — Belichick did look archaic near the end of his legendary tenure in New England — he is mostly wrong.

Yes, Belichick was hired to win games, but his impact goes beyond the scoreboard.

First, UNC wanted him to bring a professional sports model to Chapel Hill in the NIL era. His NFL background equips him to structure operations, manage a roster like a salary cap and create a pro-style environment — a major recruiting tool. General manager Michael Lombardi will handle much of this, but he still reports to Belichick.

Second, the Tar Heels needed stability. Belichick’s disciplined approach, staff-building ability and long-term vision provide a steadying force.

Third, UNC wanted to boost its stature as it eyes a possible move from the ACC, where football success matters to leagues like the Big Ten and SEC. If Carolina leaves by 2030, the next coach inherits proven infrastructure, donor backing and a national profile.

Cowherd also knocked UNC’s quarterback situation.

“So, they don't have a great quarterback, and if you look at Belichick in his history in the NFL, he didn't win,” Cowherd said. “In a sport he loved and was great at and manipulated, he didn't win without great quarterback play.”

UNC quarterback Gio Lopez — North Carolina quarterback Gio Lopez dropping back to pass at practice at the Koman Practice Complex on Aug. 2, 2025. | Jackson McCurdy, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI

There’s only one issue to his statement: presumed starter Gio Lopez impressed as a redshirt freshman at South Alabama, throwing for 2,559 yards and 18 TDs. He also rushed for 463 yards and seven touchdowns. His overall 66-percent completion rate ranked 18th nationally and sits 10th among all returning FBS quarterbacks this season.

While Lopez may not be a flashy name, he is more than capable — especially as he gains experience.

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