Bill Belichick, Michael Lombardi remain committed to UNC, but will the university feel the same amid controversy?

Bill Belichick's transition into college football hasn't been an easy one. And with that, there have been a lot of discussions surrounding whether his time with North Carolina could come to an end before his first season is even over.

However, NFL Insider Dianna Russini is setting the record straight, reporting that neither Belichick nor GM Michael Lombardi has plans to leave the university.

"People inside the football operation believe the criticism is intended to hurt the program," Russini wrote. "Belichick, who was on the road Friday recruiting in Olney, Md., has told those close to him that he loves coaching at the college level. More than that, he believes they’re building something meaningful at UNC, a program with staying power. Lombardi is fully on the same page."

This comes after The Guardian’s Ollie Connolly reported that Belichick has begun discussing buyout options with UNC, even going as far as to signal “willingness to trigger his own $1 million buyout if he can find a soft landing with another team or in media.” And with that, members of his coaching staff have already started to look for jobs with other teams that will be in the College Football Playoffs.

Ollie Connolly's Report From Sources

• “From one coach: ‘the rats are leaving the ship.’ Some staffers believe a change will come within two weeks”
• “Reports of serious recruiting violations remain under investigation at UNC. Recruiting and practice violations have already been proven by the school, according to multiple sources.”
• “Belichick’s communication with his staff in the past two weeks has been described as “weird” and “distant” by multiple members of UNC’s coaching staff. Multiple coaches were unable to get hold of him during UNC’s bye week”
• From one UNC defensive assistant: “What we’ve done to these kids is f***ed up.”

Bill Belichick's Past Is Not Helping Matters

Russini further reported that Belichick's final years in the NFL probably aren't helping. Specifically, there are "questions about his legacy," along with "regular flare-ups involving the Patriots," and even "suspicions within UNC’s program that some of the negative headlines have origins in New England."

However, while UNC might not be completely sold on Belichick, the cost to get rid of him is a lot. Russini adds that "UNC would owe around $30 million if it wanted to buy out Belichick, Lombardi and their coaching staff."

The question is whether the Tar Heels feel that is worth it or not.

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