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Nobody knew for certain how Bill Belichick’s college football debut at North Carolina would unfold Monday night, but TCU expected a comfortable win — and they got it. The Horned Frogs made that prediction a reality, cruising to a 48-14 victory against a Tar Heels team clearly in the midst of a rebuild. CBS Sports’ Chris Hummer, speaking with a couple of sources around TCU, said the Horned Frogs had a strong sense from the start that UNC simply wasn’t on their level, given the roster turnover and inexperience.
“This was one of those things where scouting for UNC was difficult in a way, because nothing was the same — 70 new players,” Hummer said Tuesday on the CFB Insiders podcast. “How do you go about that? What they did was essentially evaluate every single player on that roster one-on-one and plug it into a two-deep themselves. And they came away from that game thinking it was about what they thought.”
UNC and Belichick had been highly secretive about which players would be available for the game, outside of naming transfer quarterback Gio Lopez the Week 1 starter. The Tar Heels did not release a game-day depth chart, and TCU similarly kept their lineup under wraps. While UNC players had worn jersey numbers in fall camp, their spring practice jerseys had been blank, making it even harder for opponents to gauge the roster.
Belichick and the new staff effectively flipped the roster this offseason, adding 41 transfers alongside the 30 high school signees. With so many newcomers and minimal continuity, TCU sources told Hummer it was clear early that UNC was a team still finding its footing.
“The offensive line was a major weak point. Unproven wide receivers — I’m just reading some thoughts — average tight end room, really young defensive line room,” Hummer said. “Their best edge player didn’t even play. [Pryce Yates] came over from UConn. The safety room was a question mark, the cornerbacks were good. But all around, it just wasn’t a football team that was in position to compete with what is going to be one of the best teams in the Big 12.”
UNC allowed 41 unanswered points in the first 44 minutes, surrendered two defensive touchdowns and gave up a 75-yard breakaway run in the loss, marking one of the worst performances in program history and the most points Belichick — who led the New England Patriots to six Super Bowl titles in the NFL — has ever allowed as a head coach.
“It’s difficult to bring in that many pieces and make it work,” Hummer said. “It’s difficult to be as talented as you want to be when you bring in that many new pieces at once.”