UNC Game Week: Steve Belichick Q&A Ahead of Trip to Cal

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — North Carolina defensive coordinator Steve Belichick met with reporters on Wednesday at the Kenan Football Center, ahead of the team’s trip to the West Coast for an ACC football matchup on Friday night at California.

The Tar Heels (2-3 overall, 0-1 ACC) play the Golden Bears (4-2, 1-1) at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, Calif., and kickoff is scheduled for 10:30 p.m. (7:30 p.m. local time).

Watch Belichick’s question-and-answer session in its entirety below, and scroll down to read some noteworthy excerpts from his comments.

How would you assess this team’s defense through the first five games?

Steve Belichick: “Had some ups and downs. Good having the bye week this week, definitely have some things to clean up. Always need to work and improve, but have had a couple good weeks of practice. So looking forward to get back and out, getting back out on the field.”

What were some of those areas of focus over the bye week?

Steve Belichick: “Always fundamentals, work on that every single week. Communication, fundamentals, just keep working through the guys on the roster, and it’s taking it one day at a time.”

All three losses have seen the score get out of hand by the end of the first quarter or first half. What are some of the common threads between those bad starts?

Steve Belichick: “I think every game plays out differently. How it starts, who starts with the ball, the possessions, field position, all that type of stuff. So we’ve looked at all that, gone through it with everybody, and we obviously have to do a better job. And that’s what we’re working towards. But just appreciate the players working hard, trying to keep improving, take them one day at a time.”

Have you spent more time with the defensive back groups due to Armond Hawkins’ suspension? And has Brian Belichick taken over that unit along with the safeties?

Steve Belichick: “I try and spend time with all the groups. I wouldn’t say it’s tilted too much. Wherever I need to be, is where I go. … It’s a group effort. The whole defensive staff is working hard at everything we need to do. So it’s hard to just pinpoint and say that since this happened, this is going to change. So everybody’s been doing a little bit of different stuff.”

There have been reports of tension and frustration leading to fights in the locker room. From your standpoint, where do you see the team culture at right now?

Steve Belichick: “We’ve had a really good week of practice. I think anybody who’s a competitor is frustrated when they lose. Starts with me on defense. I’ve got to do a better job, and it trickles down through everybody. So we’ve all got to do better. But I appreciate the frustration to a point, just because that means they care. We’re putting in a lot of work to go out there and compete at a high level, and it hasn’t always shown. So we’ll try and get out there and do better, but you should be frustrated when you lose. … I don’t know anything about the fights or anything like that.”