Belichick ruminates on his team as UNC begins spring practice
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WTVD) -- It has been nearly three full months since legendary head coach Bill Belichick took over at North Carolina and ABC11 got its first glimpse at his team Wednesday.
Though Belichick has yet to coach at the collegiate level, he has a vision of where he wants these guys to be.
"We have a general outline of what we want to try to do over the spring so that the offense and the defense can work together so that the things that the offense is working on, the defense is ready for, and vice versa," Belichick said. "That we can evaluate - the most important thing for us right now is to evaluate the players."
Belichick noted that other than Freddie Kitchens, his entire assistant staff is new to UNC and has been working to familiarize itself with the players on the roster.
WATCH: Belichick's full news conference
His observations came as the 72-year-old head coach opened his first set of spring practices since taking over as part of UNC's audacious bet to upgrade its football program.
"That's the great thing about being a head coach - I can coach anybody I want," Belichick quipped at his pre-practice news conference Wednesday. "I can coach the line, I can yell at the tight ends, I can yell at the DBs, I can yell at the kickers.
"I can go to any group I want and coach them. And honestly, that's the fun part."
Belichick hadn't spoken to local reporters since his introductory news conference nearly three months ago.
The Tar Heels opened spring practices Tuesday, then let media members watch about 20 minutes of Wednesday's practice - though Belichick stood behind the end zone roughly 50-plus yards away from where they were allowed to observe.
Players didn't wear numbers, making it difficult to assess much in that brief window.
His news conference proved more revealing in that regard, with Belichick providing fuller answers than the terse and grumpy responses he was known for with the New England Patriots. That included talking about the new wrinkle for him of having spring practices in pads at the college level, something that wasn't the case in the NFL.
He pointed to his time being around the Washington program as the Huskies prepared to enter the Big Ten before this past season. His son, Steve, worked there as defensive coordinator and Belichick said the progress made during those sessions last spring was "remarkable."
Now he gets to try it with his own program in Chapel Hill.
"The response has been great," Belichick said of connecting with teenagers and college-age players as opposed to NFL veterans in their mid- or late-30s. "It's kind of similar to what a rookie minicamp would be and time with the rookies. Granted, those kids are a little bit older, but they're coming in from all different programs and different situations.
"So it's starting to put everything together: here's how we do things, here's what our expectations are, this is what you need to do to be successful. They've embraced that, they've tried to do it."
UNC formally announced his coaching staff earlier this week, featuring a mix of NFL and college experience. The list includes former Cleveland Browns head coach Kitchens as a holdover from Mack Brown's staff, as well as sons Steve (defensive coordinator/linebackers) and Brian (defensive backs/safeties).
Belichick said it's too early to know how things will go with roster management for the upcoming season, including when it comes to the transfer portal for additions and departures after the 15-practice spring session concludes April 12.
UNC's longer-range target is a college-version of Monday Night Football, with the Tar Heels hosting TCU on Labor Day to open Belichick's tenure.
"We'll go out there and do what we do and see what happens, see how it goes," Belichick said. "I know we have a good plan. I know we can do the right things to help the players improve, help the team improve and put a good product on the field."
When the news conference ended, Belichick started to walk away from the podium when he realized he left his whistle behind. He paused, picked it up and blew a short quick chirp - drawing chuckles and offering a bit of a symbolic start to spring drills.
The Associated Press contributed.
