Will Bill Belichick elevate UNC? Tar Heels face key questions as 2025 season nears

The start of the college football season is a few weeks away.

Media members picked the North Carolina Tar Heels to finish eighth in the 2025 ACC Preseason Poll among the conference’s 17 teams.

Here’s a look at UNC’s top storylines for the 2025 season.

Bill Belichick era begins in Chapel Hill

The Bill Belichick era kicks off on Labor Day night when UNC hosts TCU at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Most sportsbooks have UNC as a 3- to 3.5-point underdog in the opener.

Ultimately, how Belichick is viewed is contingent upon the Tar Heels’ on-field performance.

Can Belichick help lead UNC to its first conference championship since 1980 during his tenure? Or, will Tar Heels fans look back at Belichick’s interview in April on “CBS News Sunday Morning” involving his 24-year-old girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, as the beginning of when things started to go awry at UNC?

Ultimately, how Belichick is viewed is contingent upon the Tar Heels’ on-field performance.

Can Belichick help lead UNC to its first conference championship since 1980 during his tenure? Or, will Tar Heels fans look back at Belichick’s interview in April on “CBS News Sunday Morning” involving his 24-year-old girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, as the beginning of when things started to go awry at UNC?

The 73-year-old is considered among the best NFL coaches ever, having won six Super Bowl titles as head coach of the New England Patriots. However, this season will mark his first time coaching at the collegiate level.

UNC’s commitment to Belichick is about keeping up with the elite-level programs in the Southeastern Conference and the Big Ten.

For the first time, schools can share revenue directly with athletes. UNC will share $20.5 million, the maximum allowed this year, with athletes in football, men’s and women’s basketball and baseball. Further, the department added about 200 scholarships across its 28 sports.

UNC is paying Belichick an average of $10 million per year through the 2029 season. It makes him the state’s highest-paid public employee.

 But Belichick can terminate that deal at any time for $1 million. Which begs the question: How many games will Belichick coach the Tar Heels?

Much of Belichick’s coaching success is attributed to the performance of future Hall of Famer Tom Brady during their time together in New England.

Brady went 249-77 as the Patriots’ starter, which includes the playoffs.

At the NFL level, Belichick was 84-103 (44.9% winning percentage) without Tom Brady as his quarterback.

Speaking of quarterbacks …

UNC starting QB battle: Gio Lopez or Max Johnson?

Belichick will need to decide which left-handed quarterback should start for the Tar Heels: South Alabama transfer Gio Lopez or Max Johnson, who broke his right femur in the 2024 season-opener.

It’s telling that UNC opted to bring Lopez to the 2025 ACC Kickoff event in Charlotte. Plus, multiple reports indicate UNC is paying Lopez on a two-year, $4 million contract with three seasons of remaining eligibility.

However, Johnson got the first reps at quarterback during UNC’s first fall practice on Aug. 2. He has plenty of collegiate experience, having played at LSU and Texas A&M before transferring to UNC.

Incoming four-star freshman quarterback Bryce Baker shows promise, but we’ll see how much he plays in the 2025 season, if at all.

Baker initially committed to UNC under previous head coach Mack Brown. Baker then re-committed under Belichick.

Whichever quarterback plays for UNC, he’ll have the guidance of offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens.

Kitchens is the lone holdover from Brown’s staff and has NFL coaching experience.

Beyond quarterback, UNC must also replace several key skill position players.

Replacing RB Omarion Hampton

UNC is tasked with replacing running back Omarion Hampton, one of the best statistical performers in the history of its program.

Hampton rushed for 1,504 yards, 5.9 yards per carry and 16 total touchdowns in the 2023 season. While opposing defenses had to focus on slowing down the passing attack with quarterback Drake Maye and wide receiver Tez Walker in 2023, Hampton didn’t have that luxury last season. It didn’t matter.

Hampton put up an impressive encore performance in 2024, rushing for 1,660 yards, 5.9 yards per carry and 17 total touchdowns. That’s especially impressive, knowing defenses were keying on Hampton with UNC down to its third-string quarterback. Johnson got hurt in the opener, and Conner Harrell got benched in favor of Jacolby Criswell.

Possibilities to replace Hampton include sophomore Davion Gause, Michigan transfer and redshirt sophomore Benjamin Hall and sophomore Charleston French.

At wide receiver, senior Kobe Paysour is the only player with at least 20 receptions. He had 22 catches for 369 yards in the 2024 season. Sophomore Jordan Shipp, who had nine receptions and represented UNC at the ACC Kickoff, is expected to take a bigger role.

Can the Tar Heels fix their defensive woes and avoid penalties?

Stephen Belichick, son of the head coach, is the program's defensive coordinator. The younger Belichick is tasked with fixing a defense that has been dreadful at times during the last several seasons.

Mack Brown had three different defensive coordinators in five years: Jay Bateman from 2019-2021, Gene Chizik from 2022-2023 and Geoff Collins in 2024.

Bill Belichick is a defensive-minded coach. He should be able to help shore up the Tar Heels’ defense and stop the team from beating itself with untimely penalties.

North Carolina has ranked in the bottom half of FBS in scoring defense, total defense and penalties in each of the past four seasons.

2024: Geoff Collins was the defensive coordinator 

• Scoring defense: 28.08 points allowed per game (89th out of 133 FBS teams)
• Total defense: 375.8 yards allowed per game (72nd out of 133 FBS teams)
• Penalties: 6.8 per game (104th out of 133 FBS teams)

2023: Gene Chizik was the defensive coordinator

• Scoring defense: 27.3 points allowed per game (75th out of 133 FBS teams)
• Total defense: 404.4 yards allowed per game (97th out of 133 FBS teams)
• Penalties: 6.9 per game (110th out of 133 FBS teams)

2022: Gene Chizik was the defensive coordinator

• Scoring defense: 30.8 points allowed per game (102nd out of 131 FBS teams)
• Total defense: 436.5 yards allowed per game (116th out of 131 FBS teams)
• Penalties: 6.2 per game (74th out of 130 FBS teams)

2021: Jay Bateman was the defensive coordinator 

• Scoring defense: 32.1 points allowed per game (105th out of 130 FBS teams) 
• Total defense: 418.6 yards allowed per game (93rd out of 130 FBS teams)
• Penalties: 7.7 per game (116th out of 130 FBS teams)

Stephen Belichick served as Washington’s defensive coordinator in 2024 and helped improve that program’s defense from 99th in the country in 2023 to 27th in the country in the 2024 season.

Stephen Belichick, 37, worked under his father on the Patriots’ staff for years. He was the Patriots’ outside linebackers coach from 2020-23, the defensive backs coach in 2019, the safeties coach from 2016-18 and a defensive assistant from 2012-15.

Can UNC finally beat NC State?

It’s telling that the best team in the state last season was Duke. That’s reflected in the Blue Devils receiving votes in the 2025 preseason coaches poll and the preseason Associated Press top 25 poll. NC State and UNC didn’t receive a single vote in either poll.

NC State has beaten UNC in four consecutive games. The Tar Heels last beat the Wolfpack on Oct. 24, 2020.

NC State head coach Dave Doeren is 8-4 against UNC during his tenure in Raleigh.

Belichick could endear himself to Tar Heel fans by ending the school’s losing streak to its crosstown rival.

The Wolfpack host the Tar Heels on Nov. 29 at Carter-Finley Stadium.

UNC football schedule 2025 (all times Eastern)

8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 1: TCU @ UNC

7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6: UNC @ Charlotte

3:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13: Richmond @ UNC

Saturday, Sept. 20: UNC @ UCF

Saturday, Oct. 4: Clemson @ UNC

10:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17: UNC @ California

Saturday, Oct. 25: Virginia @ UNC

7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31: UNC @ Syracuse

Saturday, Nov. 8: Stanford @ UNC

Saturday, Nov. 15: UNC @ Wake Forest

Saturday, Nov. 22: Duke @ UNC

Saturday, Nov. 29: UNC @ NC State

More college football coverage

Duke season preview: Can Manny Diaz build on success with prized QB transfer Darian Mensah?

NC State season preview: Military Bowl rematch looms as NC State’s hopes hinge on CJ Bailey’s development