Belichick’s Bold UNC Overhaul Could Shift Wolfpack Rivalry Balance

The portal may be an advantage to coaches like Belichick, who are used to the free agency aspect of the NFL. It's essentially how the transfer portal is working in the college game. Kids can still stay at their respective schools if they want, but many will take it if someone comes in with the highest bid. 

Money isn't the only driving factor. Belichick has said he's running the program like a professional program. 

Training, eating and game planning will resemble the likes of an NFL team. If the NFL is the end goal, someone like Belichick would be a decent coach to accomplish that goal. 

Recruiting 

One of the biggest questions for Belichick going into a college-type role is how he would handle the recruiting game. Well, by looking at 2026, he is handling it fine. 

The Tar Heels have the 18th overall ranked class for 2026 according to 247Sports. They've flipped certain recruits like three-star tight end Carson Sneed, who committed to an SEC school in Tennessee. 

Last week, Sneed decided to join Belichick rather than his in-state school in Tennessee. The Belichick effect is real. 

It's not just the SEC he's stealing talent from, the reigning champs as well. Four-star safety Jakob Weatherspoon was committed to Ohio State. Weatherspoon is from Avon, Ohio, two hours from the Buckeyes' campus. 

The Tar Heels were able to flip his recruitment over in July of this year. He's the No. 10 recruit in Ohio, and the professional aspect of North Carolina most likely came into play. 

What does it mean for NC State?

The rise of North Carolina in the transfer portal and recruitment scene certainly is daunting for Wolfpack fans. The Wolfpack has won the past four matchups in football, but trails the all-time series 40-68-6, and with the recent boom in Chapel Hill, the skies may be grim for the Wolfpack. 

Athletics director Boo Corrigan has echoed that the NC State athletics department is all-in for their NIL spending and making sure their coaches have what they need to field competitive rosters to be able to compete at a national stage. 

Meanwhile, in football terms, the Tar Heels have been a hot ticket in the recruiting scene. No one knows how the Belichick era will play out between the lines; everyone must wait and see. 

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