For the first time, NFL prodigy Bill Belichick is going college football. And who else, but a prolific college football coach who can give the best CFB advice! Dan Lanning may not be the most experienced collegiate HC with just three years at Oregon. But he’s been coaching for thirteen years across different positions for different CFB programs. So his advice carries weight. 

After finishing No. 1 in the CFP ranking and seeding, it makes sense why the 38-year-old is the perfect guy to enlighten the 72-year-old HC who’s set to lead North Carolina. Appearing on The Herd with Colin Cowherd on December 13, he said, “Get ready to adapt. What it is today might be different tomorrow so you better be ready to play on your toes because it’s consistently changing. That’s one thing that’s consistent about football.”

As far as adaptability goes, Dan Lanning is a master with his out-of-the-box mindset. His leadership embraces change to facilitate creative problem-solving through new training technologies and creative game plans. This should be something that Bill Belichick should need to work on. Making a transition to a new league after nearly five decades in the NFL is no joke. But there’s another trait of the Ducks’ HC that would benefit the septuagenarian.

Dan Lanning is one of the youngest HCs in college football, one reason why some believes he connects better with young college football players. But age is just a number while communication is key. It’s his empathy and understanding of his players that has molded the Ducks to become the only current undefeated team. It’s through active listening and consistent communication that he was able to lead Oregon 35-5 with two bowl appearances in three seasons. Can Bill Belichick keep up?

Bill Belichick already has a plan

A lot has gone into if Bill Belichick could adapt with 18-22 year olds in college football, and many didn’t feel it’s a realistic scenario. But there’s no room for underestimation! And it looks like the NFL veteran already has everything planned out. After securing a five-year contract with UNC, three years and $30 million guaranteed, he spoke about adaptability.

Bill Belichick stated, “I want to be versatile and take advantage of the personnel we have. I’ve always been that way. I don’t want to just run four or five plays, I believe in attacking a defense and defending what the offense does well. That takes versatility. No two teams are the same and you have to change week to week.” Amidst this wild turn of events, a lot of speculation has also gone into if he can stick with UNC if an NFL opportunity presents itself. But his argument is that he wants to “do it a long time.”

With his buyout clause, Bill Belichick has an easy ticket away after June 2025 if things go awry at UNC. But there’s more hope that he’ll stick to CFB rather than returning to the NFL.