While Bill Belichick is facing College Football, the UNC players are facing the new era of the program

North Carolina's new trainer, Bill Belichick, gets used to College Football as his players get used to him.

“MAN reporting is reporting. Double team blocks are double -timing blocks, ”said Belichick on Wednesday in his first press conference since the hiring in December. “The hash markings are a big change and I would say the overall knowledge level. There are some pretty elite players in the NFL, especially in the passing game. “

UNC General Manager Michael Lombardi said last month that Belichick would operate his squad as “33. NFL team”. For players, part of the adaptation to their new trainer during spring practice, which began at the beginning of this week, means without practicing numbers.

“That's exactly what we do. We go out there and earn it. The numbers and which color gloves that we wear and everything that is not as important as your job and to be responsible and responsible for your teammates, ”said Belichick.

Belichick's program was in discussions to appear in the offseason edition of “Hard Knocks”, which traditionally records NFL teams. But UNC and NFL films that produce the show could not come to a final agreement, so that cameras did not look at Belichick's first season as a college head coach. Belichick was not asked about the deal, who saw through reporters in his 16 minutes on Wednesday.

He arrived at UNC after he was more than visible from coaching last season, even though he remained visible and often appeared on ESPN's “Manningcast” alongside Peyton and Eli Manning. He had won six Super Bowls as head coach of the New England Patriots in 24 seasons before he agreed against the common route after the 4: 13 games in 2024, his third loss season in four years.

Belichick said he would emphasize that he will invite former UNC players on campus and training. He also said that the Tar Heels run a “pro system” on both sides of the ball and in the kick game and describe it as the “basis” of his program. At the moment he is still learning his squad, which includes 18 incoming transfers to a team that went 6: 7 under Mack Brown last season.

“We want to play the strengths of our players and it will probably take a while to find out,” he said.

Belichick said he had no expectations of his first team in Chapel Hill. “We will see. I don't know. We go out and do what we do and see what happens. See how it works, ”he said.

On Monday, the Tar Heels officially announced Belichicks coaching team, in which his sons Steve Steve as a defensive coordinator/linebacker trainer and Brian can be seen as a coach of the defensive back/safety trainer. The former FBS head coach Bob Diaco and Garrick McGee are also employees, together with the former head coach of Cleveland Browns, Freddie Kitchens, who was held back by the employees of the past year and will act as an offensive coordinator. Mike Priefer, a long -time coordinator for NFL special teams, will do the same job for Tar Heels.

“Steve, Freddie and Mike have a lot of experience. You have broken down well in several situations. Steve trained our defense for a long time. Whatever his years as a trainer was, he was involved well before, ”he said.

Belichick said he would not concentrate on a certain position as head coach.

“It's the great thing about being head coach. I can train everyone I want. I can coach the line, I can scream at the narrow ends. I can shout the DBS. I can shout the kickers. I can go to every group I want and train them, ”he said. “And frankly, that's the funny part. You see something that you want to address and speak to you. You can talk to you. “

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(Photo: Grant Halverson / Getty Images)