Bill Belichick's Tar Heels Enter Second Bye Struggling To Find Answers

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — North Carolina general manager Michael Lombardi, through a letter to donors and a message on his weekly radio show appearance, asked for support and patience as the team embarks on a rebuild.

Of course, the Tar Heels overhauled the roster and staff when Bill Belichick was hired, but the goal, Lombardi said, was to establish a foundation through high school recruiting. In his letter, he even cited examples of other successful college coaches and their first-year records at their respective programs. In doing so, he added, “Winning isn’t easy.” 

UNC has hopes to build a relevant program, but the present, and far more bleak, reality is this: this year’s team looks like one of the country’s worst through five games.

Once again, a game against a power conference team got out of hand early when the Clemson Tigers rolled through the Tar Heels with a 38-10 victory on Saturday. Through five games, even with games against Charlotte and Richmond baked in, UNC ranks 133rd out of 136 FBS teams in total offense. Additionally, the Tar Heels are 75th in total defense, 83rd in points allowed per game, 102nd in passing defense, 119th in points scored per game and 126th in total sacks, among other metrics.

The completion of Saturday’s game almost felt like a formality. Most of the attending UNC fans departed the venue by halftime, with plenty leaving right at the end of the first quarter when the score was 28-3. For the second time this season, the Tar Heels went back into the tunnel after the game with a vacant student section. Even when the game seemed to come to a merciful end, Belichick called a timeout with one second left to run one final play — a 16-yard completion from Max Johnson to Jake Johnson that didn’t even get UNC past midfield.

In North Carolina’s three losses, the team has been outscored 120-35, only leading for six minutes and 47 seconds after getting an opening drive touchdown against TCU in Week 1. In all five games so far, UNC has scored more than two touchdowns just once.

This has been a worst-case-scenario type of season for UNC so far. The offense struggles to generate explosive plays, regardless of who is behind center at quarterback. The defense, like many North Carolina teams in recent memory, continues to get shredded and give up big point totals. Even from a preparation standpoint, putting the talent differential aside, opponents have looked better schematically than the Tar Heels in UNC’s three losses this season.

North Carolina doesn’t have enough difference makers on this team, and as a collective unit, the Tar Heels haven’t found ways to be disruptive or offer resistance against their FBS peers.

The disappointing start to a highly anticipated first season for Belichick is visually causing some to lose interest. North Carolina sold all of its home tickets before the season started, but the early departures from fans during nationally televised games signal an eerie sign of where the team stands now. Three players have already left the team midseason for various reasons, and unlike the NFL, North Carolina can’t sign new ones to join for the rest of the year.

Belichick’s hire was intended to bring excitement to the program, but at this point, it’s drawn ridicule. The social media accounts for TCU and UCF football clowned UNC after their respective victories against the Tar Heels, and other ACC teams — regardless of how elite they may or may not be — look well ahead of North Carolina.

Lombardi wrote in his letter that “building a championship team takes time,” and while that isn’t untrue, UNC looks far away from even a bowl game contender so far.

North Carolina continues to search for answers, but the solutions may not be there this year. Maybe the rebuild pans out, but the current structure isn’t very sturdy.