The Bill megathread (HC at UNC, girlfriend, etc.)

[XLIX]

I really think this is opportunity for him to cast a large shadow on college football and change how things are done. He's gotta win. If he goes down there, is .500, with kids *****ing on socials, then it will indeed be sad. I am quite sure that he's had long talks with Saban and others about this. He knows what he's getting into, and knows where things need to be improved in the system as a whole. The only thing is: can he do it?

This isn't the pros. .500 would be an abysmal failure. Their last coach averaged roughly 7.5 wins per year (looking only at his second stint) and that got him fired, so a couple years of 8-4 won't do it.

 

[sb1]

UNC's 2025 schedule



The only good team in this list is Clemson. Over half this schedule won 3 or less games in their conference in 2024. Richmond isn't even a Division I team. If BB can only get to .500 against this schedule that's a disaster.

 

[Sect140]

UNC plays in a dump. The nicest stadium in that area is NC State's Carter-Finley. And I've seen nicer high school stadiums than what Duke has.

I’ve seen it a few times from overhead shots and it does t look like much but that’s OK, the first 15 years of my season tickets was at Schafer/Sullivan/Foxboro.

 

[Triumph]

Also haven’t they agreed to put up 20 million a year for players?

I have not heard, but BB is already making offers to players.

A RB at Penn University.

 

[Triumph]

BB might get into NFL HOF before Pats HOF. I am disgusted with the Krafts.

Did you like how Kraft used Schefter for BB damage control?

Now Kraft is giving BB glowing recommendations.

 

[Triumph]

I doubt that he's going to revolutionize college football. He couldn't even fix the Pats once he dumped the keys to their success.

The Pat's defense was not the problem.

QB was.

A change at QB brought success to NE just as it has to KC. QB is the key to winning in football. The Bills have searched for a QB since Kelly.

 

[Ian]

I'm sorry got the feds put on you Ian

No worries, man. All good

 

[neuronet]

UNC's 2025 schedule



The only good team in this list is Clemson. Over half this schedule won 3 or less games in their conference in 2024. Richmond isn't even a Division I team. If BB can only get to .500 against this schedule that's a disaster.

If he was starting with a great ranked team, but he isn't. I'm not sure what your metric is.

He is starting with a mediocre team, so Duke, TCU, Stanford, Virginia, California, Syracuse, NC State, Wake Forest, will all be good tests. I live in Durham. There are real rivalries here. NC State, Wake, Duke vs UNC will now be larger than life, and they were all **already** rivalries. NC State hates UNC. I don't have to talk about Duke. I am a Dukie and this is going to be insane.

Honestly though I will now probably become a UNC fan for football because I'm a Patriots fan first.

 

[sb1]

If he was starting with a great ranked team, but he isn't. I'm not sure what your metric is.

He is starting with a mediocre team, so Duke, TCU, Stanford, Virginia, California, Syracuse, NC State, Wake Forest, will all be good tests. I live in Durham. There are real rivalries here. NC State, Wake, Duke vs UNC will now be larger than life, and they were all **already** rivalries. NC State hates UNC. I don't have to talk about Duke. I am a Dukie and this is going to be insane.

Honestly though I will now probably become a UNC fan for football because I'm a Patriots fan first.

Good point re the rivalries including Duke.

 

[libra957]

Belichick got hire by the wrong Carolina, should have been the Panthers.

 

[Triumph]

I’ve seen it a few times from overhead shots and it does t look like much but that’s OK, the first 15 years of my season tickets was at Schafer/Sullivan/Foxboro.

The Meadowlands was a 5hithole, but that didnt stop BB from fielding SB caliber defenses for NYG.

When Larry Bird first arrived at the Celtics training camp, the hoops were not even at the same elevation.

 

[Triumph]

Belichick got hire by the wrong Carolina, should have been the Panthers.

Mayo turned them down.

 

[Triumph]

If he was starting with a great ranked team, but he isn't. I'm not sure what your metric is.

He is starting with a mediocre team, so Duke, TCU, Stanford, Virginia, California, Syracuse, NC State, Wake Forest, will all be good tests. I live in Durham. There are real rivalries here. NC State, Wake, Duke vs UNC will now be larger than life, and they were all **already** rivalries. NC State hates UNC. I don't have to talk about Duke. I am a Dukie and this is going to be insane.

Honestly though I will now probably become a UNC fan for football because I'm a Patriots fan first.

Nothing like college football in the South.

 

[203Pat]

I really think this is opportunity for him to cast a large shadow on college football and change how things are done. He's gotta win. If he goes down there, is .500, with kids *****ing on socials, then it will indeed be sad. I am quite sure that he's had long talks with Saban and others about this. He knows what he's getting into, and knows where things need to be improved in the system as a whole. The only thing is: can he do it?

My main worry is Bill's ability to relate to the younger generation because that seemed to be his undoing post-Brady. Once he didn't have that alpha dog in the locker room reinforcing his message, he didn't seem to be able to get the message to land anymore. Maybe it was just a Mac-specific issue and not a broader generational thing, but from the outside looking in, it seemed Bill didn't want to tailor his approach to Gen Z. Now he is basically going to be dealing with high school kids and 20-year-olds who can bail the minute they don't get their way. Bill now has to deal with pretty much every player on the team hitting free agency every offseason, and if they don't like his old-school style, I am sure they will be jumping ship as soon as they can.

You might be sad, but BB might be happy. What is sad about an old man enjoying his kids and grandkids on a college campus. There is great energy and excitement on campus. Maybe he will live a few more years doing what he loves with the people he loves. I wish him all the best.

I am mainly sad that we won't get to watch him on Sundays anymore but it just seems like kind of an undignified end for such a great coach. Like seeing an NFL player age out of the league and trying out for the CFL. I hope

 

[Steve102]

My main worry is Bill's ability to relate to the younger generation because that seemed to be his undoing post-Brady. Once he didn't have that alpha dog in the locker room reinforcing his message, he didn't seem to be able to get the message to land anymore. Maybe it was just a Mac-specific issue and not a broader generational thing, but from the outside looking in, it seemed Bill didn't want to tailor his approach to Gen Z. Now he is basically going to be dealing with high school kids and 20-year-olds who can bail the minute they don't get their way. Bill now has to deal with pretty much every player on the team hitting free agency every offseason, and if they don't like his old-school style, I am sure they will be jumping ship as soon as they can.

Exactly my thoughts as well. I would expect there to be a good to decent amount of guys who want to sign up to be coached by him. If I was a defensive back, he'd be choice #1, no question. With that, I think there's going to be a much larger number who look at what is expected with him and his militaristic approach and think they'd rather go be coached by Steve Sarkisian, Bran Kelly or Kirby Smart. Further, if he doesn't get good to great buy in right off, then your 100% free agent thing is a real problem.

 

[UGAPatsfan]

Watches his initial press conference. Neat moment where he brought out his Dad’s UNC staff sweatshirt.

I’m a huge college football fan and even beginning to get plugged into some NIL dealings because of what I do.

I’ll say this:

He picked a good spot.

ACC isn’t a beast by any means, and I believe he’s on to something with the idea that a college team in 2025 is similarly run to a pro team in the early 2000’s.

Differences being that the portal essentially creates annual free agency.

BUT…he will actually get MORE practice time to teach players in college than the NFL CBA allows.

And the GM role is going to become a lot closer to what the NFL structure is with each passing year.

Do I believe he’ll win a Natty? Unlikely.

Do I believe he’ll have UNC in the playoff within two seasons?

I do.

I remain a HUGE UGA fan but won’t lie, I’ll quietly be rooting for BB to have success at UNC also.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

My main worry is Bill's ability to relate to the younger generation because that seemed to be his undoing post-Brady. Once he didn't have that alpha dog in the locker room reinforcing his message, he didn't seem to be able to get the message to land anymore. Maybe it was just a Mac-specific issue and not a broader generational thing, but from the outside looking in, it seemed Bill didn't want to tailor his approach to Gen Z. Now he is basically going to be dealing with high school kids and 20-year-olds who can bail the minute they don't get their way. Bill now has to deal with pretty much every player on the team hitting free agency every offseason, and if they don't like his old-school style, I am sure they will be jumping ship as soon as they can.

If BB's players jump ship, then the NFL GMs will rejoice. How much do you think it hurts a franchise to draft players like Polk and Baker who are mentally weak? Do you think it would have been better for the Pats if Polk and Baker had jumped ship from a program like UNC under BB, and that highlighted their weak minds, so the Pats could have drafted more mature wide recievers?

Do you think the parents of truely strong young men, both physically and mentally strong, are concerned about their son being challenged to be the best he can be? When BB says his team will get the UNC palyers ready for the NFL, do you think BB is concerned that the weak minded players will transfer out the following year?

Everything in college football has changed. Posters say they understand that and then make comments that indicate they do not understand. NIL money means that the coaches do not have to sit in the college recruit's living rooms as frequently. Have a Zoom call and offer the money. It is much easier and a lot less dependent on a coach's in-person personality. A player can enter the transfer portal yearly. So BB can get players and lose players yearly. THAT HIGH TURNOVER RATE HELPS BB. If a player is mentally weak, he leaves. There is another player waiting in the transefer portal to take his place. In football the overall team is more important than a few individual players - this is not basketball. So BB's coaching team might upset a Heisman trophy winner like Travis Hunter. Is Travis Hunter in the college playoffs? No. So who cares if BB loses a few physically gifted, mentally weak players.

NFL GMs will clamor for BB's players to avoid the mentally weak guys like Polk and Baker. If the NFL draft prospect is a little less physically gifted but NFL GMs know the player is ready for the riggers of the NFL after going through UNC's program, that is a huge positive for the player. Did you see the 49ers' LB walk off the field in the 3rd Q last night? How much does that hurt the 49ers having mentally weak players?

I am mainly sad that we won't get to watch him on Sundays anymore but it just seems like kind of an undignified end for such a great coach. Like seeing an NFL player age out of the league and trying out for the CFL. I hope

I am not sure that the NFL to the CFL analogy is correct. College football is very exciting, high level, and more popular than NFL football in a lot of the USA. That is not an analogy to the CFL. I understand that you are sad, and you said you are sad, but BB is happy so be happy with BB and his family and friends.

 

[TommyD4207]

I really think this is opportunity for him to cast a large shadow on college football and change how things are done. He's gotta win. If he goes down there, is .500, with kids *****ing on socials, then it will indeed be sad. I am quite sure that he's had long talks with Saban and others about this. He knows what he's getting into, and knows where things need to be improved in the system as a whole. The only thing is: can he do it?

Put it this way - Jerod Mayo could have that team 7-5 next year with that schedule.
If Belichick is .500 somehow and worse, then he should actually quit.
I don't see that happening. That's a layup for 8 wins next year.

 

[Dec54]

Why would you care?

My hero.................

 

[Foxypats]

Did you like how Kraft used Schefter for BB damage control?

Now Kraft is giving BB glowing recommendations.

Kraft is an idiot who is becoming more senile as the days go by. He is vindictive and vicious ! I hope Bill succeeds at whatever he does , to hell with RK.