"They’re going to have to earn it": Bill Belichick asserts no guaranteed starters at UNC amid roster overhaul

Bill Belichick is entering his first season as the UNC Tar Heels head coach. The six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach is making his debut in the collegiate dugout and is laying down a marker for the entire program.

Belichick spoke to the media on Saturday and discussed his roster and player mentality, with a particular focus on entitlement:

"Anybody who is walking in here feeling like, ‘Well, I’m going to be just starting this, or that I’m entitled to this.’ That’s not really the way it is going to work. They’re going to have to earn it. If they want to come in and earn playing time and earn a roster spot and play at Carolina and play in the ACC, and get that kind of profile, then we will give it to them and we will see what they can do. "Whatever they are going to get, they are going to earn. Nobody is handing out anything. Just like nobody’s handing out wins in this conference. You have to go earn them. They are going to have to earn their spots on the field."

The former New England Patriots head coach is famous for his player development from his NFL days. Belichick and his staff in New England developed numerous low draft picks into superstars, including names like Tom Brady and Julian Edelman. Both offensive stars were afterthoughts on draft night but turned out to be franchise legends.

It might be a different ball game at the collegiate level, but it's clear that Bill Belichick isn't about to drop one of his key coaching tendencies. So, you can expect some breakout performances from lesser-known prospects in 2025.

Who'll start at quarterback for Bill Belichick's UNC Tar Heels in 2025?

One of the more interesting positional battles for Bill Belichick's side is quarterback. The Tar Heels have Gio Lopez, Max Johnson, and Bryce Baker competing for QB1.

Gio Lopez is the runway leader for the starting job due to his dual-threat ability, recent heroics with South Alabama, and his durability. It's Lopez's job to lose in the 2024 campaign.

Max Johnson is gearing up for potentially his last season at the collegiate level and is coming off a serious injury suffered last campaign. His availability has a major feel-good effect on the roster; however, Johnson's only realistic chance of playing will be as a relief QB to Lopez.

Bryce Baker is the youngest quarterback on the roster, and he has a bright future with the Tar Heels. But for now, he'll likely need to face being the third-string QB on Bill Belichick's side.

Edited by John Maxwell