Bill Belichick’s first run as a college football coach at North Carolina is officially underway.
The NFL coaching great took the field Monday night for his college debut with the Tar Heels against TCU, sporting a familiar look from the pro sideline with a gray hoodie — only this one bearing the name “Carolina Football” in that distinctive shade of light blue.
His Tar Heels, led by South Alabama transfer QB Gio Lopez, got off to a sprint of a start, too. They marched 83 yards on the opening drive and found the end zone with Caleb Hood’s 8-yard run through the right side — ending what was nearly a flawless first possession, then forced a quick punt on the Horned Frogs’ first possession.
Belichick, 73, led the NFL’s New England Patriots to six Super Bowl championships and trailed only Don Shula on the league’s all-time wins list. Now he’s making the transition to the college level, the result of an all-in moment for UNC to elevate its football program at a school better known for its storied men’s basketball program.
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The buildup to the season here had included plenty of added buzz, including the school selling out all its season tickets — at an elevated price — and single-game seats for the season. The game also attracted ESPN to hold a pregame studio show from the Kenan Stadium sideline, where Belichick popped over before the game to share a hello with former Alabama coach Nick Saban and the rest of that crew.
Belichick also roamed the field during pregame warmups as though taking it all in for the better part of a half-hour. At one point, he stood on the UNC end of the field with general manager Michael Lombardi watching the Tar Heels, then shared a quick handshake with ACC commissioner Jim Phillips as he made his way toward midfield.
Once there, he shook hands with members of the officiating crew and stood near midfield watching the Horned Frogs players as they went through warm-up drills.
The game attracted notable former UNC figures from years past, including NBA legend Michael Jordan — who won a national championship under Dean Smith there in 1982 — and former UNC star linebacker Lawrence Taylor, who played under Belichick when he was an assistant and eventually defensive coordinator with the New York Giants in the 1980s.
Other sports figures and celebrities in attendance at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill include New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone and NFL icon Randy Moss, who was spotted sharing a suite with Belichick’s 24-year-old girlfriend, Jordon Hudson. Country singer Chase Rice, who played linebacker for UNC from 2005-08, performed ahead of kickoff. Others expected to be at the game are Mia Hamm, Julius Peppers, Eric Church, Blake Snell and Jimbo Fisher.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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