Takeaways from UNC's Third Media Availability Day

Originally posted on North Carolina Tar Heels on SI
By Grant Chachere | Last updated Aug 13, 2025 4:57 PM ET

North Carolina held its 10th practice of fall camp and its second while wearing full pads.

While the players will be in full gear, this will be a transition week for the Tar Heels as they start the school next Monday on Aug. 18. This weekend, Carolina will transition from its usual training camp format to a standard in-season schedule. North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick spoke to the media for 14 minutes and explained the transition in depth.

"We're slowly but surely bringing things together," Belichick said. "We're definitely not there yet, but we have an opportunity to work on some signature things — fundamentals, pads, and so forth — that we can’t do in lighter gear. I’m excited about the week ahead and the rest of the weekend. Then we’ll start getting into classes and more of a regular-season routine, as the players transition from a training camp schedule to their daily academic schedule. That’s where we’ll be for the rest of the year, and that’s where we are at this point."

While much didn't happen at practice today, here are some notes from my observations throughout the second-to-last media availability that North Carolina will have throughout fall camp.

Notes/Takeaways

— Tuesday’s media viewing of practice was nearly identical to the first session on Aug. 2. Reporters were allowed to watch 11 minutes, which consisted of warmups and individual drills. The quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers worked on ball security, the offensive line pushed the sled up and down the field, and the linebackers and defensive backs practiced angle and fit tackling.

— While the lack of access to evaluate the team may frustrate some in the media, it is understandable with 40 new players joining the roster after the spring. Rather than letting reporters introduce the newcomers to the entire world, Belichick and his staff want to be “the great unknown.”

— Belichick said he’s been impressed with players’ efforts when it came to working, their conditioning and they are “slowly but surely bringing things together day-by-day but definitely not there yet.”

— Because of the lack of time, it will be interesting how the staff balances hitting and evaluation while also not rushing the process. Remember, we have less than three weeks before the season opener against TCU on Sept. 1.

—Evaluating players in full pads has been more difficult with 40 newcomers joining the roster after the spring. It’s not ideal with the first game just 19 days away and classes starting Aug. 18.

This article first appeared on North Carolina Tar Heels on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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