Bill Belichick’s start as North Carolina Tar Heels head coach couldn’t have gone any worse.
The most hyped coaching debut this season ended in a dud as the Tar Heels were outclassed in a blowout 48-14 home loss to the TCU Horned Frogs.
After an opening drive touchdown, North Carolina went seven consecutive possessions without scoring, including four three-and-outs and two drives ending in a turnover. During the same stretch, TCU scored 41 consecutive points to turn the six-time Super Bowl winning head coach’s first game in the college ranks into a laugher. Well, for everyone outside of Chapel Hill.
No sequence better exemplified the listless start to the Belichick era than the first half of the third quarter. After entering halftime trailing 20-7, the Tar Heels began the second half on defense and promptly allowed a 75-yard rushing touchdown on TCU’s first play from scrimmage.
North Carolina’s first drive of the half ended in a three-and-out after an inexplicable run call on 3rd-and-5. TCU extended its lead to 41-7 after converting a 3rd-and-20 on its subsequent drive.
The start of the third quarter was an awful mix of toothless defensive effort and unimaginative offensive play calling, made even more concerning considering that was the team’s best effort with its back against the wall.
“This is a long-term vision,” play-by-play commentator Rece Davis said during the third quarter, when the game had far been decided.
As decorated of a pro coaching career as Belichick, 73, had, North Carolina might not have the patience to endure a multi-year plan to return to national prominence.
Based on Monday’s loss, the Tar Heels are nowhere close to contending, in the ACC or elsewhere, this year.
They were out-gained 542-222, with TCU holding a 258-50 advantage on the ground, averaging 7.4 yards per carry while limiting North Carolina to 1.8.
It was unrealistic to expect Belichick to turn North Carolina into a contender overnight, but Monday was still a major disappointment.
After a full training camp, the Tar Heels should be much farther along than they showed against the Horned Frogs.
No positives came from Belichick’s North Carolina debut. Instead, we’re left wondering what exactly the program is building towards.
