UNC Football Catch-all | Bill Belichick Era underway

[Zoo_View]

I wouldn’t even mention the words “Athletic Department” when talking about the assholes responsible for hiring the Belichicks and Lombardis.

 

[CFordUNC]

Football GM for the Texas Longhorns makes $600k, about a third of what we pay Lombardi.

Ugh. That's so disheartening. Even more disheartening is that Texas is paying their GM the exact same money as we are paying Lombardi's *son* to be our QB coach.

 

[Peppers49]

I'm a little surprised that someone who is a highly-respected former member of the media (and a damn good one, at that) would be taking the tin-foil hat route of essentially accusing WRAL and the N&O of bad journalism when they're only reporting what they're being told by sources close to the situation. Isn't the whole purpose of unnamed sources to enable those sources to speak freely without fear of reprisal? The sources for the article were, apparently, people inside the football program (presumably support staffers) and parents of current players. They would certainly want to remain "unnamed sources" since they are spilling the tea about the mess ongoing inside the football program, and WRAL would certainly want them to remain "unnamed sources" so that they continue to be sources period.

I would caution you to take with a large grain of salt anything you hear "at the letterman's tent." I've been going to the letterman's tailgate ever since they brought it back under Mack in 2019- though I have not been to it this year and have no plans of doing so- and it's staffed/hosted by the football program, with support staffers from the football program working the tent. You're certainly not going to get too terribly many people in that tent discussing how much the current head coach of the football program sucks when his own staff members are the ones running it and milling about. And the overwhelming vast majority of people who are "at the letterman's tent" have exactly zero insight or sources inside the football program, no matter what they claim. They're all just everyday folks who were once affiliated with UNC football years or decades ago, who are showing up for free food and drinks on gameday. They don't have any special insight into the program- they have opinions just like you, me, and everyone else.

I'd be curious to know how much more time you think we should give a 73 year old coach who has shown zero understanding of how college football works, zero desire in learning how college football works (or else hiring people who do), zero emotion or passion for coaching college football players, and zero idea of how to build and manage a college football roster. At what point can Ten-Mil Bill be expected to want to learn how to lead a college football program? Next year? Three or four years from now? I'm not being snarky- I'm genuinely curious. He and his GM are the only college football folks in America who are currently begging for patience and preaching a "three or four year rebuild." Everyone else understands that it can be done essentially overnight now, if you know how to evaluate talent and find the right fits for your roster, instead of prancing around calling yourself the "NFL's 33rd team" all offseason and arrogantly behaving as if you can simply show up and run circles around the acumen of college coaches and people who have spent their entire lives and careers in the college game.

The notion that nepotism and cronyism is standard fare among coaches isn't entirely accurate, either, or at least not how you're insinuating. Do coaches hire buddies frequently? Yes. Of course. Now, generally, they hire buddies who have been involved in the college game, know and understand the college game, and have coached in the college game- and therefore at least have qualifications to do so. Belichick hired his sons. Then he hired his best friend to be GM, and also hired *his* son. That's not standard fare at all. Matt Lombardi is getting paid $600K- that is offensive coordinator money at most P4 schools, by the way- to coach quarterbacks, despite never having done so at the collegiate level and really not even havng done so at the professional level, either.

I understand and even respect and admire that you want to be patient as a fan and let it all play out. I get that. I truly do. I don't fault you for it at all. I happen to disagree vehemently, but I don't fault you for it. The problem for UNC is, the longer this goes on the way that it is currently going, the deeper and deeper the hole is going to be that we have to dig out of. And not only are we are currently *not* showing any signs of this getting better anytime soon, there are all sorts of red flashing warning signs that it's about to get a whole lot worse in the short-term. So it's not that I don't have patience- it's that being patient in this instance is very likely to bury our football program into a deep hole.

Setting aside the questions about where the reports are coming from, all you really have to do is look at what’s happening on the field. We have played 3 power conference teams this season. None of them are world beaters and none are even ranked in the top 25. Not only did each of them blow us out, they could have named the final score on us if they wanted to. Each game literally looked like the other team was playing a scrimmage and people still have doubts that the reporting about the process being a disorganized mess is being made up? Seriously??

 

[wmheel1287]

I am not going to plow through this thread, but never has a coach after 5 games received such scrutiny. I got no idea if this experiment will succeed, but I also do not think BB has forgot how to coach. I was around a ton of former players in the program before Clemson, and they were all in the we need talent, and it will take time mode. BB saved the recruiting class, but clearly whiffed in portal, having to settle for No. 3 QB. Cannot win without a QB and oline, and we have neither. I do find interesting the plan is to build through recruiting, which to me means a 3 to 5 year commitment. What I find interesting is the attack by Raleigh media, N&O and WRAL, that is getting such an assist by UNC fans who share without looking at who is doing the reporting. An example, WRAL anchorman cites a player's parent and a source close to the program as evidence of chaos and disarray in the locker room. So the most notoriously anal, strident, organized coach of all time (maybe not, but you get the point) all the sudden cannot run an organization? I assure you the WRAL guy has not done any original reporting, citing unnamed sources. Garbage journalism. What would be interesting, but requires work, would be to do an autopsy of the program. Why did we whiff on QB? In portal? The timing of the hire, and the staff. The saving of the recruiting class and continued recruiting wins. All that said, I am troubled by some of the stuff BB has done. But he is our coach, and the idea we will fire him is absurd. If we do we set the program back 5 years. What coach would coach for a school that fired BB after single season. No one wants a rope that short.
The Raleigh media spent much of the last decade trying to destroy UNC athletics, and they are doing so again. But this time UNC fans are lending a hand by believing everything they read. without considering sourcing, motive, etc.

He maybe didn't forget how to coach, but he is certainly thinking and being led around by the wrong head. He wouldn't be the first and won't be the last. I also disagree about setting the program back 5 years. Disbanding football for 5 years wouldn't set it back 5 years at this point. It is that decimated. There is no lower point than where we are.

 

[Peppers49]

I wouldn’t even mention the words “Athletic Department” when talking about the assholes responsible for hiring the Belichicks and Lombardis.

I’m all too aware of how the hiring went down. That’s why I worded it “the people who call the shots” for the athletic department, not the people actually in the athletic department. Semantics.

 

[CFordUNC]

Setting aside the questions about where the reports are coming from, all you really have to do is look at what’s happening on the field. We have played 3 power conference teams this season. None of them are world beaters and none are even ranked in the top 25. Not only did each of them blow us out, they could have named the final score on us if they wanted to. Each game literally looked like the other team was playing a scrimmage and people still have doubts that the reporting about the process being a disorganized mess is being made up? Seriously??

Yep. 100% agree. It's so wild that ANYONE would defend ANY of what we have been seeing out of this program since the opener.

 

[SnoopRob]

A poster on IC went through Belichick's contract and tried to find all the places that he could be fired "with cause". Most of it, in my opinion, was much ado about nothing, but I did find one contract stipulation interesting in this regard...



"Cultivate and maintain effective relations with students, faculty, staff, and friends of the University, promote academic integrity of the institution, and refrain from actions that bring material reputational harm or public ridicule upon the University or the Coach."

To me, the underlined could be in play here. Could Coach Belichick with his nepotism hires, his very public relationship with a woman 50 years his junior and the repeated "scandals" that have resulted, and the now leaking reports of dissension within the program have created a situation where he has brought "material reputational harm or public ridicule upon the University or the Coach"? I think we might be in range of it being a plausible claim.

And I'm not sure it would have to hold up in court if it could be used to get Belichick (and staff?) to take significant buyout reductions to agree to go away somewhat quietly. Given where we are now (and assuming things do not materially improve by the end of the season), would it be worth it to the University to pay $5-7m to get everyone on this staff to exit stage left and let us move on to a different hire?

I think it might be something worth exploring for the University.

 

[CFordUNC]

He maybe didn't forget how to coach, but he is certainly thinking and being led around by the wrong head. He wouldn't be the first and won't be the last. I also disagree about setting the program back 5 years. Disbanding football for 5 years wouldn't set it back 5 years at this point. It is that decimated. There is no lower point than where we are.

Agree completely. I don't think that the folks on IC and 247 who are screeching about being patient and yelling at everyone else for being spoiled rotten fans, understand that the longer that this whole experiment is allowed to continue, the deeper the program is going to be buried and the tougher the climb out of this hole will be.

UNC is not getting any college players worth a damn to come play here next year under this staff. The transfer portal is already going to be partially de-fanged once the new revenue sharing goes into effect, because most schools are going to have money to retain their best players. The guys in the portal moving forward, in large part (obviously there will be exceptions) are going to be players that won't really move the needle as instant impact players. No good college player worth a damn is going to come here to play for a staff that shows no interest, no desire, and no ability to develop them as college football players.

 

[uncjhodges]

A poster on IC went through Belichick's contract and tried to find all the places that he could be fired "with cause". Most of it, in my opinion, was much ado about nothing, but I did find one contract stipulation interesting in this regard...

"Cultivate and maintain effective relations with students, faculty, staff, and friends of the University, promote academic integrity of the institution, and refrain from actions that bring material reputational harm or public ridicule upon the University or the Coach."

To me, the underlined could be in play here. Could Coach Belichick with his nepotism hires, his very public relationship with a woman 50 years his junior and the repeated "scandals" that have resulted, and the now leaking reports of dissension within the program have created a situation where he has brought "material reputational harm or public ridicule upon the University or the Coach"? I think we might be in range of it being a plausible claim.

And I'm not sure it would have to hold up in court if it could be used to get Belichick (and staff?) to take significant buyout reductions to agree to go away somewhat quietly. Given where we are now (and assuming things do not materially improve by the end of the season), would it be worth it to the University to pay $5-7m to get everyone on this staff to exit stage left and let us move on to a different hire?

I think it might be something worth exploring for the University.

Yea the whole pt would be putting pressure on him to accept a buyout at a lower cost and to end the embarrassment. The best chance would be that discovery of his emails with Jordon could be made available i would think

 

[GoHeelsweeeehoooo]

I do think this season has been a disaster and I would not have an issue if we showed Belichick and everyone he has brought in the door immediately after the last game of the season

 

[Ddseddse]

Sigh....

Once again for those in the back, TWO THINGS CAN BE TRUE AT ONCE.

1) The N&O is a biased and untrustworthy source with axe to grind regarding UNC football.

2) The Bill Belichick experiment at the midway point of this season has been an unmitigated disaster so far for which the blame lies squarely at BB's feet. He demanded and got unprecedented levels of control over the football program. He owns the product we are seeing on the field so far this year.

End of story.

 

[OGtruthhurts]

Yea the whole pt would be putting pressure on him to accept a buyout at a lower cost and to end the embarrassment. The best chance would be that discovery of his emails with Jordon could be made available i would think

bingo

 

[BlueSteel]

I wouldn’t even mention the words “Athletic Department” when talking about the assholes responsible for hiring the Belichicks and Lombardis.

"Athletic supporters" perhaps?

 

[Milk and Cookies]

Agree completely. I don't think that the folks on IC and 247 who are screeching about being patient and yelling at everyone else for being spoiled rotten fans, understand that the longer that this whole experiment is allowed to continue, the deeper the program is going to be buried and the tougher the climb out of this hole will be.

UNC is not getting any college players worth a damn to come play here next year under this staff. The transfer portal is already going to be partially de-fanged once the new revenue sharing goes into effect, because most schools are going to have money to retain their best players. The guys in the portal moving forward, in large part (obviously there will be exceptions) are going to be players that won't really move the needle as instant impact players. No good college player worth a damn is going to come here to play for a staff that shows no interest, no desire, and no ability to develop them as college football players.

The biggest concern besides QB will be OL once again. Our OL depth chart is overwhelmingly out of eligibility. And OL are notoriously expensive in the portal. The beatings will continue until morale improves.

 

[Peppers49]

The biggest concern besides QB will be OL once again. Our OL depth chart is overwhelmingly out of eligibility. And OL are notoriously expensive in the portal. The beatings will continue until morale improves.

This whole thing is such a mess that I don’t think you can even pin point a single position or group as the biggest concern lol.

Like the offense already can’t move the ball in any sense of the word. Sure, I guess the blocking technically could be worse next season, but the results would still essentially be the same.

 

[GoHeelsweeeehoooo]

Sigh....

Once again for those in the back, TWO THINGS CAN BE TRUE AT ONCE.

1) The N&O is a biased and untrustworthy source with axe to grind regarding UNC football.

2) The Bill Belichick experiment at the midway point of this season has been an unmitigated disaster so far for which the blame lies squarely at BB's feet. He demanded and got unprecedented levels of control over the football program. He owns the product we are seeing on the field so far this year.

End of story.

I agree with this

 

[heel79]

He maybe didn't forget how to coach, but he is certainly thinking and being led around by the wrong head. He wouldn't be the first and won't be the last. I also disagree about setting the program back 5 years. Disbanding football for 5 years wouldn't set it back 5 years at this point. It is that decimated. There is no lower point than where we are.

Yes there is. Recruiting could be bad and we could be in financial straits. Recruiting is good and we got money.
Also that calculus presumes recruiting class falling apart giving us back to back whiffs and the unlikelihood of a coach wanting to go to a school that gave BB one year to turn it around. As far as on field product, very bad. But not unprecedented. 88, 89 2017 2018 spring to mind.

 

[Calheel]

The biggest concern besides QB will be OL once again. Our OL depth chart is overwhelmingly out of eligibility. And OL are notoriously expensive in the portal. The beatings will continue until morale improves.

Oline is fairly inexpensive - save high profile tackles. Dline, especially Dtackle, are the ones who command a premium.

 

[Calheel]

Yes there is. Recruiting could be bad and we could be in financial straits. Recruiting is good and we got money.
Also that calculus presumes recruiting class falling apart giving us back to back whiffs and the unlikelihood of a coach wanting to go to a school that gave BB one year to turn it around. As far as on field product, very bad. But not unprecedented. 88, 89 2017 2018 spring to mind.

I would die for Fedora’s 2017-2018 teams. At least we were sometimes competitive with P5 schools those years and could score points with our peewee QB.

 

[heel79]

I would die for Fedora’s 2017-2018 teams. At least we were sometimes competitive with P5 schools those years and could score points with our peewee QB.

I agree that they were competitive. They lost games that they were 90 percent to win.