Former Huskies Join Steve Belichick To Build 'Special' Defense At UNC

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — After a successful season in Seattle, Steve Belichick signed on to coach North Carolina’s defense. And in doing so, he brought a few companions with him.

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Former Washington defenders Thad Dixon, Khmori House and Peyton Waters picked UNC out of the transfer portal. All three spent the 2024 season playing for Belichick’s defense, which improved from 99th in total defense nationally in 2023 to 28th the following year. The Huskies had the second-best pass defense in the country, allowing 166.5 yards through the air. The unit surrendered 23.8 points per game.

Belichick and the former Washington players come in to bolster North Carolina’s defensive efforts, but the look and feel, Belichick says, will be unique to this UNC squad.

“Every year is different, whether it was the NFL when I started getting into the league, or even before that, when I was watching my dad’s teams when I was in school, every team is different,” Belichick said earlier this month. “There’s always going to be new players, new faces and stuff like that.

“It’s all about the players. Those are the ones who go out there and make the plays. I don’t make any plays. So structuring the defense around those guys and their ability to do different things. You have to install a system. You have to have a foundation. And then there’s the evaluation process of seeing what guys can do and giving them the chance to do that and not making them overthink out there. Let them go out there, play fast and see what they can do. And then from that point, you structure your team around the guys that you got out there.”

Dixon recorded 43 tackles, 10 pass breakups, an interception and a forced fumble at Washington last season. Entering this year, he was one of four players nominated by UNC for the preseason All-ACC team. Dixon spent the 2023 season with Washington as well, playing in the national championship game that year.

House totaled 35 tackles, four pass breakups, an interception and a forced fumble at Washington in his first season of college ball as a true freshman. House played 317 defensive snaps across 12 games, according to PFF. Waters, also a true freshman last season, appeared in all 13 games for Washington this past season, recording five tackles. The 6-foot-1, 182-pound defensive back played three games on defense at safety, but the majority of the action he saw was on special teams, where he logged 126 snaps in 13 games.

House, who said he lives with his former Washington-turned-current UNC teammates, spoke to his experience working with Belichick last season. House said he identified UNC as a strong fit after looking into it himself. The bond he formed with Belichick helped him understand last year’s defense, and it gives him perspective on his coaching style entering this season as well.

“(We) talk about football a lot, some personal things,” House said. “To connect with him more, I used to go up to his office after practice, try to learn about the scheme more and learn about what we did. And I think that’s how we connected, just by learning and learning how he operates.”

Belichick coached under his father and UNC head coach, Bill, in New England for 12 seasons in a variety of roles on defense. The 2024 season at Washington was his first as a defensive coordinator.

Dixon said Belichick’s presence in Chapel Hill made the transition easier for him after transferring in. He praised Belichick’s prowess as a coordinator and his ability to show it in his first year in college.

“That just goes to show itself,” Dixon said at ACC Kickoff. “He didn’t recruit any of those players. He came in and did the best with what he had, and we moved up (71) spots. It’s stuff like that just goes to show him as a coach himself, outside of his dad and everything else. Coach Steve is one of the best in the game.”

When asked about Dixon and House, Belichick said both players have room to improve from what they’ve shown so far. He added that he’s built strong relationships with them since coaching them in Seattle. 

North Carolina opens the 2025 season with a highly-anticipated game against TCU, as Bill Belichick prepares to make his first official impression on the college game. The Tar Heels’ defense, coached by his son, will look to make a statement in its debut as well.

“Man, this defense is gonna be special,” Dixon said. “Y’all really are gonna have to tune in. It’s gonna be a special defense. We’re gonna be flying around, making a lot of plays on the ball. It’s gonna be a different type of swagger coming to Chapel Hill this year.”