Why did Bill Belichick go to UNC? Bill O’Brien gives interesting take

Why did Bill Belichick go to UNC? Bill O’Brien gives interesting take originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

No one is surprised that Bill Belichick has taken another head coach job after mutually parting ways with the New England Patriots back in January. The eight-time Super Bowl champion loves to coach, and a lot of people assumed that, eventually, he’d land another job.

Belichick going to college football and not taking an NFL job, however, was certainly a surprise. He was formally introduced Thursday as the new head football coach at the University of North Carolina. Belichick will take over a program that went 6-6 this past season, has one bowl game win in the last 10 years, and hasn’t won an ACC title since 1980.

One person who knows about leaving the NFL for college football is Bill O’Brien.

🔊 Patriots Talk Podcast: BC head coach Bill O’Brien weighs in on Belichick’s STUNNING move to UNC | Listen & Subscribe | Watch on YouTube

He was the offensive coordinator for the Patriots in 2011 and then took the Penn State head coach job in 2012. After two years at Penn State, O’Brien became the head coach of the Houston Texans from 2014 to 2020. After a stint at Alabama and a brief return to the Patriots, O’Brien is now in his first season as Boston College head coach. The Eagles wrap up their season against Nebraska in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium on Dec. 28.

What does O’Brien think of Belichick’s move to college football? He joined Tom E. Curran on the latest episode of NBC Sports Boston’s Patriots Talk Podcast to discuss that topic and more.

“I’m not that surprised by that,” O’Brien said. “I would say the way the structure is in the NFL, in most organizations, with the exception of maybe, let’s just say the Kansas City Chiefs and maybe the Los Angeles Rams, maybe it’s a coach-centered system at those places, probably. But I would say, between 28 to 30 other teams, it’s a partnership.

“It’s a partnership between a general manager and a head coach that has to be on the same page. And if they’re not, then it’s hard to produce a winning team. And so I think what Bill, and I’m not speaking for Bill at all. I haven’t spoken to Bill … but I would suspect that it just wasn’t the right fit, and in college football, you’re able to go to places where you believe they’re going to give you the resources to get things done. And you’re the one in charge. It’s a coach-centered model in college football.

“You certainly have people to report to, don’t get me wrong. He has a boss at North Carolina. But at the end of the day, you’re running it your way. You’re putting in your systems, whether it’s football, strength and conditioning, nutrition, player development, all of it. You’re doing it your way. And so I think that’s probably what it came down to for him.”

It’s true that very few NFL teams give a head coach total control (or close to it), especially in terms of roster decisions and drafting. Belichick had a ton of authority in New England for more than two decades, but that kind of setup doesn’t really exist in 2024.

It does exist in college football, though. In college, head coaches run the program. They have immense influence and many of them are stars themselves.

There probably are other reasons why Belichick chose North Carolina. He does have a family connection to the school because his father was an assistant coach for the Tar Heels for three years in the 1950s.

The hiring of Belichick gives North Carolina’s football program some much-needed buzz. Will it translate to more success on the field? We’ll have to wait to find out, but UNC does have a pretty soft 2025 schedule.

Also in this episode:

• Looking ahead to BC vs. Nebraska in The Pinstripe Bowl

• Is O’Brien surprised by Belichick’s move?

• How will Belichick change as a coach?