The football landscape in the ACC has been altered dramatically with the news that North Carolina has hired Bill Belichick, who won six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots, to resurrect its football program. Now, Clemson fans have to wonder if a new threat to the Tigers' ACC dominance has emerged.
No university has won more ACC titles since 2009 (the year that Clemson hired Dabo Swinney) than the nine that Clemson has claimed. What's more, the Tigers have captured eight of the last ten ACC crowns. Plus, with Florida State in a free-fall in 2024, the path to continued ACC dominance looked rather clear for Swinney and his program even though the expansion of the conference has brought new challengers like SMU.
Now, though, could North Carolina be on the cusp of jumping into the upper echelon of the ACC? What's more, will the Tar Heels become a treat to the Tigers?
It could be argued that Swinney is no longer the most high-profile head coach in the ACC. While his two National Championships are impressive, they don't compare to the six Super Bowls that Belichick can tout.
What's more, North Carolina is going to be the story of the ACC for as long as Belichick is in charge as people will be curious to see how the man considered by many to be the best coach the NFL has ever seen will do at the college level. Therefore, the football spotlight that Clemson has dominated will now shift north to Chapel Hill.
That attention and Belichick's reputation should also help the Tar Heels' immediate recruiting efforts. UNC now has one of the easiest and most effective selling points to aim at recruits; come play for a head coach who knows exactly how to prepare you to play in the NFL.
Belichick's reputation as a coach is legendary across the football landscape and that will help him build a far more competitive roster than the Tar Heels have seen in quite some time. Of course, if UNC is going to bring in elite talent, they could start to go head-to-head with Clemson on the recruiting trail and now, blue-chip prospects have another name-brand head coach in the ACC to consider playing for.
Welcome to Chapel Hill, Bill Belichick!
— UNC Tar Heels (@GoHeels) December 12, 2024
The eight-time Super Bowl Champion has officially been named our next @UNCFootball Head Coach. #GoHeels x #ChapelBill pic.twitter.com/cnngQI7gnC
On the other hand, this move is not guaranteed to work. UNC will have to surround Belichick with the right people to help him navigate the world of recruiting and N.I.L. payments, issues he's never had to deal with.
Also, will Belichick like being the face of a college program where interacting with fans and donors is expected? As an NFL head coach, he was often cantankerous and the personality he displayed was the polar opposite of his predecessor at UNC, the loveable Mack Brown. Will Belichick learn how to play nice and schmooze those who will be funding his program?
What's more, there is the question of whether this move will set UNC up for long-lasting success. After all, Belichick is 72 years old, Ironically, that's just one year younger than Brown, who was fired in large part because many Tar Heels felt the game had passed him by given his age.
Though Belichick has signed a five-year deal, it is fair to wonder if he will complete that contract. What's more, part of his agreement with North Carolina is that his son Steve will take over as head coach once Belichick steps away. That is not a foolproof plan by any means.
Regardless of the questions that loom over this hiring, UNC needed to swing for the fences and that's what they have done in Chapel Hill. It is a move that is reminiscent of Colorado hiring Deion Sanders two years ago to breathe life back into that dormant program.
When Sanders arrived, Colorado was coming off of a 1-11 season and the Buffaloes hadn't had a winning season since 2016 (unless you want to count going 4-2 in the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season). In just two years, Sanders has turned around that program and made it the talk of the Big 12.
Could Belichick do the same for North Carolina? The Tar Heels are not in as bad of shape as Colorado was prior to "Coach Prime's" arrival. They have been to a bowl game in each of the past six years (including 2024) and they have had only one losing season in that time.
They haven't won big, though. They've been in the ACC Championship Game just twice in their history and they've never won it.
Now, the Heels plan to change the trajectory of their program and become one of the big players in the ACC. The hiring of Belichick is a power move and it will bring a new contender for the ACC throne that Clemson has occupied for so long.