North Carolina announced no immediate changes to its coaching staff following a 17-16 overtime loss to Virginia that dropped the Tar Heels to 2-5 overall and 0-3 in ACC play.
Bill Belichick’s first season in Chapel Hill isn’t going as planned.
The 73-year-old coach faces mounting pressure with five games remaining on the schedule. Few expect a turnaround that would save what’s being called the “Chapel Bill” experiment.
Media outlets are already speculating about potential replacements for 2026.
The Sporting News’ Bill Bender suggested a surprising candidate: recently fired LSU coach Brian Kelly.
“This is the one potential ACC job worth watching, and it would generate headlines. Bill Belichick has been a disaster in Chapel Hill to this point. The Tar Heels are 2-5, and the 73-year-old coach also is a candidate to move on after this season,” Bender wrote.
Kelly coached against ACC schools during Notre Dame’s five-game arrangement with the conference. He might not win a national championship at North Carolina, but could deliver consistent results similar to Mack Brown’s 44-33 record from 2019-24.
“This would be a huge win for the Tar Heels — as the program would put the Belichick era in the rear-view mirror the second Kelly steps on campus.”
Kelly’s Track Record Raises Questions
Kelly’s coaching credentials are solid. He led Notre Dame to the four-team College Football Playoff in 2012-13. Most ACC programs would welcome that level of success.
His tenure at LSU tells a different story.
Kelly struggled to adapt in Baton Rouge. The program declined each year under his leadership before his recent dismissal.
The fit in North Carolina would be better than Louisiana. Kelly’s experience with ACC competition gives him an advantage over other candidates.
But character concerns remain. If North Carolina doesn’t want to deal with Belichick’s family controversies, Kelly brings his own baggage.
Two consecutive high-profile hires after Mack Brown’s stable tenure would represent a risky strategy.
The Tar Heels have five games to determine whether the Belichick experiment can be salvaged. Early indications suggest they’re already looking ahead to 2026.
