University of North Carolina football coach Bill Belichick reportedly called ESPN’s “College GameDay” broadcast as it was live on air to share a thought or two as the hosts discussed his tumultuous athletics program.
During the broadcast, Kirk Herbstreit was reviewing Belichick and his team, and mid-sentence flashed his cellphone to co-hosts Nick Saban and Pat McAfee.
“I think the most important thing is, is to understand that [Belichick] is completely bought into what’s happening with this team and with this program,” Herbstreit said, showing the phone to his colleagues. “And him leaving or the idea of him leaving…”
At that point, Herbstreit was interrupted by McAfee, who told him to “answer that.”
“I can’t answer,” Herbstreit insisted.
McAfee, perhaps slipping into his WWE announcer persona and looking to stir some on-air drama, kept pushing.
“Answer that,” he said. “He has to be watching right now. That’s literally Bill Belichick calling Kirk Herbstreit. He probably has something to say.”
Herbstreit agreed that Bilichick “probably does” have something to say, but he refused to pick up.
The alleged phone call was the latest odd incident involving the North Carolina coach this week.
One outlet, 247 Sports, reported that UNC officials were discussing a “potential exit strategy” and holding “preliminary conversations” concerning Belichick’s possible departure from the college’s athletics program.
The same report suggested that Belichick has already “discussed buyout options with North Carolina’s hierarchy” amid uncertainty at the organization.
Both rumors were seemingly squashed by UNC athletics director Bubba Cunningham and by Belichick himself.
“Coach Belichick has the full support of the Department of Athletics and University,” Cunningham said.
Belichick said that he is “fully committed to UNC Football and the program we’re building there.”
The Athletic reported that Belichick and UNC’s general manager Michael Lombardi have “no plans to leave Chapel Hill,” and that Belichick has told those in his orbit that he “loves coaching at the college level.”
The UNC football team was 2-3 when the broadcast occured, which has led to some fan pushback against his leadership.
A report by WRAL highlighted some of the alleged problems in the UNC locker room that may be contributing to the team’s less than stellar record this season.
Sources told WRAL that the team is an “unstructured mess” without “culture,” or “organization.”
Parents who spoke on condition of anonymity to WRAL said that the locker room was divided, and that rather than building a team mindset, individual players are being pit against each other to perform.
“It’s all starting at the top, and the boys are being affected,” the parent reportedly said. “I don’t fault the players; I fault the leadership that created this toxic environment. There’s an individualistic mindset. The boys are young, and they are feeding into it.”
Last December, Belichick picked up 70 players between the open transfer portal and high school acquisitions. The sources speaking to WRAL said that the influx of new players, selected by Belichick, began the team’s division as veteran players reportedly felt like they were being sidelined for the incoming athletes.
“It started with recruits coming in acting entitled to certain things,” a source reportedly said. “It was about them individually, not the team. It was about me and what I was going to do.”
The Independent has contacted UCN for comment.
