Nick Saban Provides Insight on Coaching with Bill Belichick Ahead of Debut with UNC

Saban went on to describe what it was like to work with the man whose core principle for his players (and staff) is, "Do your job."

"Well, I tell you what, the expectation and the standard was defined for everybody in the organization," Saban said. "You guys knew what he was like as players, I'm telling you what he was like as a coach, he demanded your commitment to being the best. We'd go in at seven, I'd sneak out at two in the morning like a thief in the night after working all day trying to get ready for things.

"But his football genius, his genius relative to situational football, how he defined fundamentals and how he wanted players to play, how he wanted to build the roster on the team with big people, and he defined the critical factors at every position for us, so the attention to detail was something crazy. I mean, it was unbelievable."

The former Patriots coach opted last offseason not to simply enjoy his retirement after ending his 24-year stint in New England. Instead, he dove into a new challenge with the Tar Heels, who finished the 2024 season with a 6-7 record that included three ACC wins.

Belichick's squad may not immediately become world-beaters, but the philosophies that made his Patriots so successful will translate eventually, according to Randy Moss.

"Looking at Coach Belichick and his coaching philosophy, things that really stood out to me when I became a Patriot were how much he demanded, how smart you had to be as a player, how tough you had to be as a player and whether he could count on you, were you a dependable type of player? In the interview, he was asked about the difference between coaching collegiately and the pros, but that's the one thing that I know won't change, his expectations for his players tonight."

Though Belichick and the Tar Heels found themselves on the wrong side of the 48-14 score against the TCU Horned Frogs on Monday, North Carolina will be back in action again on Saturday when they take on the Charlotte 49ers at Jerry Richardson Stadium at 7 p.m. ET.