Belichick Betting Big On Young UNC Offensive Playmakers In 2025

Only one starter in the skill positions returns, which is wide receiver Kobe Paysour . If Bill Belichick and his staff want to have a successful first season in Chapel Hill, they will have to identify those playmakers fast.

First and foremost, North Carolina has to replace Hampton, a player who rushed for at least 1,500 in consecutive seasons in 2023 and 2024 and earned All-American honors twice while in Chapel Hill.

Right now, the favorite to be the starting running back is sophomore Davion Gause. While he is more than capable with the type of production he had last season, the production wasn't enought. to determine he is "the guy."

The other two running backs who will fight for the starting position are Ben Hall and Caleb Hood.

Unfortunately, Hall has only seen the field sparingly while Hood can't stay stay healthy

The receiving corps isn't in a much better situation than the running backs.

Five of the top six receivers are gone with only Paysour returning.

JJ Jones, John Copenhaver, Hampton, and Byron Nesbit were all experienced and reliable pass options, who were responsible for 55% of the receiving yardage and 60% of the receptions, but they are gone now.

Paysour does have a chance to be the alpha dog of the receiving corps after coming off of a season where he had 21 catches for 365 yards, the most of any receiver returning from the season before. However, he still has to prove it.

To make matters worse, he is the only wide receiver to have that sort of production last season, whrther they were on the team or not last season.

Even with the uncertainty, UNC offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens is an experienced playcaller who has called lays in both the college and professional ranks. What also helps is that this is his third year on staff, so he’s familiar with the players he’s working with. Kitchens knows how to scheme effectively to put them in good situations and get the best out of them—even if the production isn’t always there.

Another counterpoint to last season’s lack of production is the addition of dynamic quarterback Gio Lopez, who transferred from South Alabama.

While the starting job hasn’t been officially decided with a quarterback battle looming in fall camp, Belichick may have tipped his hand by naming Lopez as one of the team’s representatives—alongside Thad Dixon, Will Hardy and Jordan Shipp—for the ACC Kickoff on July 24.

Lopez's dual-threat ability will not only create opportunities for UNC's offense but can mask weaknesses in it before the rest of the offense can pick up speed.

Belichick and his offensive staff do not want to become a one-diminesional offense which is something you see with teams that lack the depth and talent needed to have an unpredictable offense.

The Tar Heels will have a month to find its offensive skill players before it plays its first game against TCU on Labor Day night. The clock is ticking.