Bill Belichick’s latest Tar Heels decision revives UNC’s glory year, ACC title hopes

It was never in doubt that Bill Belichick would bring change to the North Carolina football program.

The former New England Patriots coach has already implemented a fresh philosophy at UNC—down to the smallest detail. That now includes the Tar Heels’ uniforms.

According to Taylor Vippolis, Belichick and UNC have ordered throwback uniforms dating back to the 1980 season—one of the best in school history, when the Tar Heels finished 11-1. There’s hope the uniforms could debut as early as this season.

This wouldn’t be the first time Belichick has influenced UNC’s look. During spring camp, he removed the names from the backs of players’ jerseys, a move he once made with the Patriots.

Reaching back in time fits Belichick’s old-school mindset. But it might also serve as a motivational nod to the last time North Carolina won an ACC championship—which came in 1980, that same 11-1 season. Since then, UNC has only recorded five seasons with 10 or more wins, most recently in 2015 when they went 11-3.

Regardless of what jerseys the Tar Heels wear this fall, there will be more eyes on them than usual thanks to the presence of the 73-year-old head coach.

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ESPN is scheduled to broadcast almost every game on UNC’s 12-game slate, starting with Belichick’s debut against TCU on Labor Day night. According to ESPN senior director of programming and acquisitions Kurt Dargis, the intrigue around Belichick could generate the same type of buzz Deion Sanders did during his first year at Colorado.

“We have to wait and see. The potential is there,” Dargis told Front Office Sports. “There’s definitely interest in him outside the typical college football fan. Deion was such a phenomenon. I still can’t believe some of the numbers we got that first year he was there. It’s too early to say.”

With one of the softer schedules in the ACC—if not the entire country—Belichick’s first season in Chapel Hill could be even more interesting than anticipated.

MORE: Bill Belichick’s UNC exit timeline in question after Tar Heels finalize GM Michael Lombardi signing