Kirk Herbstreit Left Speechless About Bill Belichick-North Carolina

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jaron Spor | Last updated Oct 7, 2025 8:00 PM ET

The Bill Belichick era in Chapel Hill has had a slow start. Belichick is an eight-time Super Bowl champion, winning six titles as the head coach of the New England Patriots and two as an assistant coach with the New York Giants.

He was named the head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels this offseason after the team and Mack Brown parted ways last season. In his first five games this season, he has started with a record of 2-3. North Carolina began the season with a loss to the TCU Horned Frogs, suffering a defeat of 48-14.

The Tar Heels first achieved a victory against the Charlotte 49ers, finishing with a score of 20-3. They then went on to defeat the Richmond Spiders from the FCS, winning decisively with a score of 41-6. However, the Tar Heels experienced a setback against the UCF Knights, losing 34-9, and subsequently suffered a 38-10 defeat to the Clemson Tigers.

On the "Nonstop" podcast, ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit was asked about Belichick's tenure, and he was uncertain how to respond.

North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill BelichickBob Donnan-Imagn Images

"I don't know what to say," Herbstreit said. "They need to recruit. That's what I think."

The primary challenge for the Tar Heels is their underperforming offense. Currently, North Carolina ranks 131st in total offense, 121st in passing offense, and 118th in rushing offense. In their recent game against Clemson, the Tar Heels were limited to just 270 yards of total offense, which included a mere 57 rushing yards.

The quarterback play for the Tar Heels has been subpar this season. Gio Lopez and Max Johnson have combined for a total of 808 passing yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions over the first five games. A bright spot in the lineup has been running back Demon June, who has rushed for 266 yards and one touchdown, averaging seven yards per carry. However, aside from him, no other player has accumulated more than 70 rushing yards.

While few expected Belichick to turn North Carolina into a national contender overnight, the offensive struggles are concerning. The Tar Heels have failed to score more than 20 points in three of their five games and rank among the worst teams in college football statistically.

With recruiting now at the center of Herbstreit’s critique, Belichick’s NFL-caliber discipline might not be enough to solve the Tar Heels’ problems. If North Carolina hopes to salvage its season and Belichick’s debut campaign, improvement on the recruiting trail and under center will be essential.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: