Kirk Herbstreit believes North Carolina is 'in the playoff next year'

Kirk Herbstreit is high on an instant impact from Bill Belichick on North Carolina in 2025. How high is he thinking? Perhaps as high as reaching the College Football Playoff.

Herbstreit is on the Belichick train and thinks the Tar Heels could compete for the ACC and get into the 12-team bracket next year, based on the schedule. It’s early, but the eight-time Super Bowl champion created a lot of buzz upon his hire.

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Competing for the top right away? Why not?

“I think you guys are going to be surprised by what he builds,” Herbstreit said on Barstool Sports’ Pardon My Take. “I don’t think it’s just going to be about, sure, he’s going to try to win the national championship. That’s obvious. And if you look at their schedule, they’re in the playoff next year. I mean, there’s a very strong chance. North Carolina, I think they’re one game that makes you scratch your head is Clemson. Other than that, they might be favored in every game they play. 

“So get used to him getting teams to knock on the door of ACC Championship and into the playoff, but I do think he’s going to do the academic side. That’s just me. Maybe I’m wrong, just from the time I’ve spent with him. I think he wants to make that a priority as well which I applaud if he can pull it off.”

There have been some concerns about how Belichick is going to handle the unique challenges that come with coaching in college, including the transfer portal.

Despite that, as Belichick revealed on The Pat McAfee Show while discussing recruitment in his first week as a college coach, he’s found that players want to be a part of the North Carolina program.

“We’ve been talking to a number of players,” Bill Belichick said. “We have more coming in this week as part of the portal. That closes on Sunday. So, we have guys coming in pretty much every day this week. Still talking to a couple of high school players. Signed the quarterback. You know, we signed Bryce [Baker] and announced that at the basketball game on Saturday afternoon. So, that’s a big one for us locally here.”

Despite recruiting and the transfer portal being unique to college football, Belichick still sees similarities between it and the NFL. In its own right, that should give the Tar Heels an advantage under Belichick.

“So, it’s been an interesting process. It’s going fast but it’s fun. It’s great to be at North Carolina, great to be at this great university, and back in the game,” Belichick said. “We’re spending money, not as much as we spent in the NFL, but were tossing around a little bit of money. I enjoy seeing the players get compensated for the arrangement that they’re going to be going into. So, it’s a new landscape in college football but, honestly, it’s different but not too different. This part of the process isn’t too different than what we’ve dealt with in the NFL.”