UNC wanted the Deion Sanders effect with Bill Belichick, along with wins. It got something much different

While there was plenty of fanfare surrounding the hire — something Tar Heels administrators were counting on to sell season tickets and usher UNC into a new era of college football in Chapel Hill — the results and off-field drama have done little to inspire optimism around campus.I somewhat get it.This was the splash hire that a few among the board of trustees were hoping would launch North Carolina into the same spotlight as Deion Sanders did for Colorado in year one.Another Crisis For Bill Belichick: UNC Places GM Michael Lombardi On Administrative Leave Amid investigationAnd sure, the Tar Heels were a major part of the conversation of the 2025 season, but for all the wrong reasons following the opener against TCU.A stadium filled with celebrities, like Michael Jordan, made for great television that also led to reporters flocking to Chapel Hill to cover the Belichick era in college football.Head coach Bill Belichick of the North Carolina Tar Heels watches from the sideline during the first half against the TCU Horned Frogs at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill, N.C., on Sept.1, 2025.

(Jared C.Tilton/Getty Images)It was as if North Carolina was using the Deion Sanders playbook in garnering the national attention that was worthy enough for the legendary New England Patriots coach making his college football debut.But, unlike what was happening during Colorado's first season under Deion Sanders, the North Carolina football team looked as though they had taken numerous steps backwards.Lane Kiffin Knows There Aren’t Excuses At LSU.

Now Comes The Test Of Making It Worth The Price Of AdmissionRebuilding a team through the transfer portal was not going to be an easy task, with over sixty new players on the UNC roster.The problem is that UNC did not need to be vaulted onto the national college football scene, with a brand that had already established a name behind past success, even if that spotlight had dimmed in previous years.When some North Carolina board of trustee ...