The Belichick era at North Carolina is already facing its first major hurdle. Defensive coordinator Steve Belichick, who has been on medical leave since early August, is not expected to be on the sideline for the Tar Heels' season opener against TCU in Ireland, according to a report from On3's Pete Nakos.
Steve's absence was initially announced as indefinite, with his father, head coach Bill Belichick, declining to give a timeline for his return. "We coach defense collectively as staff and we will continue to do that," Belichick said three weeks ago. But now it appears the younger Belichick will miss the game in Dublin, leaving the defensive play-calling duties in the hands of his father and defensive line coach Bob Diaco.
Sources told On3 that Belichick and Diaco have been collaborating on defensive game preparation, with Bill expected to call the plays. North Carolina officials have repeatedly declined to comment on the situation, per the report.
This news adds to the mounting pressure on Bill Belichick, who has faced relentless criticism since taking the job. This week alone, ESPN's Paul Finebaum predicted that Belichick's college experiment will fail spectacularly.
"I'm not pulling for Bill Belichick. He's a grouch. He's a bully, and his career in college is about to go down in flames," Finebaum said via On3. "It is mass chaos in Chapel Hill, and I don't believe they'll win this game in Ireland, and I don't think Bill Belichick is going to survive until the end of the season."
The Tar Heels have yet to play a single game under Belichick, but the noise around the program has been deafening. Still, there have been voices of support, including Dan Orlovsky defending the legendary coach, urging critics to stop trying to dunk on a legend. Belichick has also been active in the transfer market, scouring for late additions to bolster the roster.
Saturday's game in Ireland is a golden opportunity for Belichick to silence his doubters, but doing so without his son on the sideline will be a significant challenge. The Tar Heels will need a complete team effort to overcome both TCU and the swirling negativity.
For now, all eyes are on Dublin, where Belichick will attempt to prove that his coaching acumen translates to the college game, even as his family's health takes precedence.
