Bill Belichick’s former players say he ‘will have to change’ to succeed at UNC

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – New England Patriots players heard the news just as we did. The owner, Belichick to UNCsent to their phones via push notifications. He populated his feeds on social media. It appeared on the televisions at Gillette Stadium.

“Really surprised, you know? Eight-time Super Bowl champion. Greatest of all time,” defensive tackle Christian Barmore said.

It didn’t seem real.

In the Patriots locker room, where there is no shortage of men who know Belichick closely, everyone admitted that they were surprised.

“I never thought I would coach in college,” quarterback Jacoby Brissett told FOX Sports on Thursday.

“Nobody expected Bill to do something like that,” defensive tackle Daniel Ekuale said.

“I’m sure he wants to be in the league,” linebacker Jahlani Tavai said.

“I was shocked. Definitely shocking,” catcher Kendrick Bourne said. “I thought I was going to be in the NFL.”

Belichick will have to change. If he and the North Carolina Tar Heels are going to do what Belichick loves more than anything else (winning), then Belichick can’t just be the same guy he was with the Patriots for more than two decades.

That was one of the few things the Patriots players agreed on.

“He’s going to have to make some adjustments,” Bourne said.

“Those kids are going to drive him crazy. So he’s going to have to change,” Brissett said.

But how much?

[Related: Belichick, UNC early win total set at 7.5]

“He’s very adaptable,” Deatrich Wise said. “He loves to coach. And I feel like he’s going to change his approach to reach more kids and get more out of them… But maybe he’ll just be himself being himself. And he’ll let everyone adjust to him, which could be something.” Well, who knows? Who really knows? Bill is a surprise: he could win the Natty in two years.

Belichick’s time at UNC could be one of two things. Either it’s the Michael Jordan era of baseball, or it’s like when he came back from baseball and won three more championships.

When asked how Belichick would handle his duties as a college coach, the players let out a lot of nervous laughter. Everyone has been more forthcoming with the media since Belichick left New England. But perhaps the mere mention of him made them think twice before speaking freely about their former coach’s college prospects. As if the ghost of Belichick was back in the locker room with all of us.

“He’s a great coach. He’s been doing it for a long time. But I don’t think the X’s and O’s are a problem for him,” said former Patriots linebacker and current linebackers coach Dont’a Hightower.

What could be a problem for him? How could you connect with young people?

“I’m probably as curious as you are,” Hightower said.

Former Patriots players from Tom Brady to Julian Edelman, Gronk, Brian Hoyer, David Andrews and Damien Harris have talked about the biggest issues ahead for Belichick: recruiting, NIL, grades, meeting time constraints . And the age difference. Belichick is 71 years old. I could spend time recruiting a 16-year-old.

“Now he’s going to say, ‘We have a really good gym. And don’t forget our pools. And don’t forget to go to class,'” Wise started laughing. “I just want to see what it will look like.”

It’s all strange to imagine. It’s not just the incredible image of Belichick sitting on a couch explaining how UNC will change a young man’s future. It’s equally strange to imagine him in the conference room as a teacher of teenagers. And the strangest thing of all is imagining him on the sideline wearing something other than a hoodie with the Patriots logo.

But Belichick had a hoodie on hand, one his father Steve wore when he was a coach at UNC, for Thursday’s introductory news conference. Belichick said he “didn’t come here to leave” (even if the NFL is interested) and that this is a “dream come true.” He detailed his eagerness to spend more time with players on the field, even if it meant sacrificing time to meet with student-athletes, per NCAA rules. He will run UNC as a “professional program.”

“I’ll have to see it on the sideline to believe that’s happening,” said Kliff Kingsbury, former Texas Tech coach and former Patriots quarterback. He is now the commander’s offensive coordinator. “No, I don’t see my man going on house calls or doing cocktail hour after visits. I just don’t do it.”

That’s where delegation will be imperative. That has never been the coach’s strong point. After all, he was more than New England’s coach. He was also the team’s general manager. Some years, he opted not to grant official titles of defensive coordinator or offensive coordinator, in part because he played a major role in that role during that season. But perhaps as a sign of Belichick’s new desire to adapt, he named a general manager, Michael Lombardi. Belichick is also likely to have a large roster that will undoubtedly help him in the recruiting process. That delegation will be a big change. And you can probably bet it’ll be a familiar cast. We may see Matt Patricia, Joe Judge and/or Josh McDaniels. And then there’s the likelihood that he hires his sons Brian Belichick and Steve Belichick.

“Really happy for my dad,” said Brian, who is the Patriots’ safeties coach. “A lot of people are excited, including him. It’s going to be fun to watch. He loves coaching football. It’s what he should do. It’s going to be great.”

It’s hard to imagine Belichick’s coaching style changing. Belichick is one of the strictest coaches in the NFL. He will immediately be the biggest disciplinarian in college football. And it’s a fascinating experiment to see whether Belichick’s intense approach will work with students. Because, as Tavai said, Belichick doesn’t work with grown men who collect a check and go home to take care of their family at night. This is a different age group than Belichick will teach.

“I’m just curious to see how it will relate,” Brissett said. “These kids have to go to school. With Bill, you have to be at work 24/7. I’m trying to see how he’s going to deal with these kids who will just say, ‘Okay “I’ll just leave.”

Leave the meeting.

Get out of school.

Several current Patriots players expressed concerns about Belichick in the transfer portal. If young players are frustrated with Belichick’s challenging and demanding coaching style, what’s to stop them from taking off toward a more comfortable college experience?

“If they don’t like what you’re doing there, they’ll transfer them to the portal,” Ekuale said.

The same thing happens in the NFL, where players get rid of trade demands. And Belichick is no stranger to turnovers. From 2016 to 2017, the Patriots had 50% of their roster rotation. They went to the Super Bowl both years. Belichick acquired Randy Moss in a trade in 2007, and when the headache proved too much, the coach traded the mercurial receiver in 2010.

Belichick is no stranger to turnovers. It is not foreign to any part of the university, because there are natural comparisons between the two leagues. But of course they don’t belong in the same league. And therein lies the uncertainty.

“It may change, it may not. I don’t have a crystal ball. I wish I did. I would tell everyone what was going to happen,” Brendan Schooler said. “So yeah, we’ll have to wait and see what happens.”

That’s the truth. You can have your opinions.. You can look at the facts. But given the changing climate of college football, there’s no telling whether Belichick will be able to lead UNC into a competitive position for the College Football Playoff, much less a national championship. But everyone will be watching with immense curiosity, including his former players at 1 Patriot Place.

Before joining FOX Sports as an NFL reporter and columnist, Henry McKenna spent seven years covering the Patriots for USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Boston Globe Media. Follow him on Twitter at @henrycmckenna.