Bill Belichick claimed his first victory as head coach of North Carolina on Saturday, a 20-3 win over Charlotte, just minutes after confirming he had banned a New England Patriots scout from the team's practices. The former Patriots coach, who won six Super Bowls with the franchise, made clear the rift between the two parties remains deep.
“It’s clear I’m not welcomed in their facility, so they aren’t welcomed in ours … Simple as that,” Belichick said bluntly when asked about the ban. The comments came after a rain-soaked match in front of a record crowd of 19,233 at Jerry Richardson Stadium.
Belichick, who signed a five-year, $50m contract to turn around the Tar Heels programme, acknowledged the difficulty of winning: “You gotta do a lot of things right … I tried to do what I could to help them, but look, I didn’t make any blocks, tackles, catches, runs or anything else out there.”
The victory was far from convincing, with North Carolina’s offence stalling after an early touchdown. However, Charlotte’s lacklustre attack meant the Tar Heels were never threatened, offering some respite after an embarrassing 48-14 defeat to TCU in Belichick’s debut on Monday night.
“It was clear in the locker room and as we got out on the practice field there was a … higher level of determination and commitment,” Belichick said. “That was good to see us improve.” The win and the scout ban dominate headlines as Belichick navigates his new role in college football.
