When Bill Belichick was named the head coach of the UNC football program last offseason, the hype surrounding the Tar Heels reached what felt like an all-time high.
Many expected Belichick to come in and compete right away, given his pedigree as a NFL head coaching legend. While many thought the Tar Heels would at least be competitive in 2025, it unfortunately wasn't the case, as North Carolina had a brutal season that disappointed essentially in every aspect.
Heading into year two of the Belichick era, the expectations are not as high as they were a year ago. In fact, even incoming Director of Athletics Steve Newmark tried his best to make it know that this is still very much a work in progress.
Steve Newmark speaks on the current state of UNC football
Newmark was asked about his hopes for the UNC football program in 2026, and his quotes are quite telling. Even though last season didn't go as planned, Newmark believes the Tar Heels are on the right track.
"There's no doubt that whenever you have a program turn, a leadership change, there is an adjustment period and an adaptation.
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Of course, Newmark is right with that assessment. However, while that can very much be the case, last year's results left a lot of room for desire. While he understands that notion, he did mention how it does take a few years to get to the level Belichick and the UNC football program are looking to get to.
"I think the general rule is it takes a couple of years for schools when they have a leadership change, particularly in the football space, because of the number of kids on the team - we've got 105 - that they need to come in and put their stamp, make sure they bring in players that are suitable for their system. I think that's what we're looking at."
Fans measure wins and losses by the success a team has on the field. When your record stinks, the fans realize that the program left a lot of room for desire during that given season.
However, in his new role, Newmark is looking at it from a different lens, one that focuses on building the program.
"I don't think that wins and losses are the sole barometer, particularly in college sports," Newmark continued. "You want to see improvement, as I mentioned, as we go through the season, and I'm confident we'll do that. They're building a program, and I think you have to give coaches time to be able to do that."
Tar Heel fans who still have high expectations for the UNC football program heading into the 2026 season might want to pump the brakes just a bit. While it's possible the team can show drastic improvements this season, Newmark's remarks should be a telling tale of how you should approach this upcoming season.
The goal is to soon be among the nation's best, but for now, the program is building the blocks to make that happen.
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