Bill Belichick provides perspective on professionalism in college athletics: 'It is what it is'

The ever-changing landscape of college athletics has seen the transfer portal and NIL become the driving force behind the success of top programs around the country. New North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick has had to learn that quickly after being hired by the Tar Heels in December.

On Saturday, Belichick joined the ESPN College GameDay panel ahead of the men’s basketball regular season finale between UNC and Duke to discuss the state of the Tar Heels football program. As he navigates being a head coach at this level, GameDay host Rece Davis asked Belichick how new-found professionalism at the college level has changed his approach from when he was with the New England Patriots in the NFL.

“It is what it is,” Belichick told Davis. “It’s something that I’ve been doing for a long time, it’s just the kids are a little bit younger now, but it’s basically the same process. Free agency happens after one year instead of four. There are a few modifications, but it’s very similar.”

With this side of recruiting being familiar to Belichick, he decided to make North Carolina into even more of an NFL model by hiring former NFL executive Michael Lombardi as the team’s general manager. He will handle NIL and the rest of the team’s financials, while Belichick can focus on recruiting players and coach his current team.

“It’s a head coach-GM model,” Belichick explained. “We obviously work together and formulate our plan, but [Lombardi] handles really the GM side of it, the contracts, the salaries, so forth. But again, it’s what we’ve been doing for 30-some years. We’re used to it.”

There have been 17 players from last year’s roster enter the NCAA transfer portal. The Tar Heels brought in 19 more, and currently boast the No. 27 portal class for 2025 as of this report, per the On3 team Transfer Portal Rankings. However, they have the No. 51 overall recruiting class in the country, coming in, 11th best in the ACC as of this report. Belichick made sure to send a pitch for any undecided portalers or high school recruits before leaving the College GameDay desk.

“With all of the players that left, we got plenty opportunity,” he said. “We’ve signed guys, and we’re going to recruit a big class this year. We have 105 scholarships than the 85 it used to be. So we got plenty of space. We’re looking for really good players.”

Looking ahead, North Carolina will not have a spring game to round out their spring practices, Tar Heels general manager Michael Lombardi announced. That means the first time fans will be able to see Belichick’s North Carolina team won’t be until the season opener on Monday, Sept. 1 against TCU at home.