Matt Johnson
Football fans tuned in on Monday night to see how legendary head coach Bill Belichick would fare in his collegiate coaching debut with the North Carolina Tar Heels. Kicking off the season on ESPN in a home matchup against the TCU Horned Frogs, Belichick’s team instantly delivered.
The Tar Heels opened the game with the football, getting a chance to showcase their new-look offense under play-caller and offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens. Immediately, the additions Belichick made through the transfer portal made an impact.
Read More: Highest-Paid College Football Coaches 2025, See Where Bill Belichick Ranks
North Carolina running back Calen Hood started the game-opening drive with a 9-yard run to set up a 2nd-and-1. He ripped off an 8-yard run two plays later, helping the Tar Heels’ offense establish their run game early. Once TCU started biting on the run, Kitchens pulled out the play-action pass with left-handed quarterback Gio Lopez hitting Jordan Shipp for a 39-yard downfield strike.
Lopez, who transferred to North Carolina from South Alabama, went back to Shipp on the very next play for a 19-yard catch-and-run over the middle of the field. After Lopez’s keeper was stuffed for a 3-yard loss on first down, the Tar Heels went back to Hood, who punched it in from eight yards out for the game-opening score.
After taking a 7-0 lead, Belichick’s defense went to work against the Horned Frogs’ offense. After TCU quarterback hit Eric McAlister for a 12-yard reception, North Carolina responded by holding the Horned Frogs to 3 yards on the next three plays, forcing a punt.
As the Tar Heels jumped out to an early lead, with Belichick’s team impressing on both sides of the ball in a game where they were the underdog, social media lit up with reactions praising Belichick and delighting in his visible lack of enjoyment from the team’s early success.
