This one might sting the GOAT! It’s no surprise for year 1 UNC Tar Heels coach Bill Belichick that the recruiting game isn’t all that different from the chess match he orchestrated for the New England Patriots from the sidelines for decades. A calculated move here, a strategic adjustment there, and, ideally, the right piece falls into place. He made his case when the 72-year-old flew in his UNC chauffeured PJ to Tennessee on Monday for an in-home visit with Nashville Christian School five-star+ QB Jared Curtis. Yet, even Belichick can’t force him to come to Chapel Hill.

Remember, Jared Curtis is still a free bird. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound flamethrower of a QB is the 2024 Gatorade Tennessee Player of the Year. The junior signal-caller even posted a photo with the six-time Super Bowl champion, a snapshot that had Tar Heel fans buzzing about a potential coup for their new head coach. But, as is the case in recruiting, a visit and a handshake don’t mean much when the competition is this fierce. And right now, Curtis has a buffet of options. In fact, as On3’s Hayes Fawcett reported today, he’s juggling numerous other programs, with visits to other schools already on the calendar.

Initially, Kirby Smart’s Georgia commit, Jared Curtis, backed out of that pledge in October, opening the floodgates for a national recruiting battle. While he hasn’t shut the door on the Bulldogs entirely, his dance card is filling up fast. According to Fawcett, Curtis has official visits lined up with the Auburn Tigers (June 6-8), Oregon (June 13-15), and South Carolina (June 20-22). And Georgia? Still firmly in the mix on June 13-15. Just days after his chat with coach Bill. If UNC wants to crack that list, Bill Belichick will need more than just his legendary resume—he’ll need a full-court press.

One of the most intriguing factors in Curtis’ decision-making process is his growing connection with Auburn. He’s already visited the Tigers once, making the trip in November to watch them take on Vandy. That visit, despite Auburn’s loss, left a strong impression. “I liked it a lot,” Curtis said at the time. “It was my first time and they showed what they have to offer. I like it a lot and I feel like they are going to be better the next couple of years.” Curtis met with coach Hugh Freeze, quarterback coach Kent Austin, and Jesse Stone. “I like them,” he said. “I think they are great people. They have great personalities. I liked being around them and building relationships.”

If that sounds like bad news for Bill Belichick and UNC, it is. But that’s not to say the Tar Heels are completely out of the running. Curtis remains undecided, and there’s still a window of opportunity for Belichick’s famed aura to work its magic. With his father, a former UNC coach, now he has pledged to continue his legacy.

His name alone carries weight, and if he can sell Curtis on being the first elite quarterback of his Tar Heel era, that could be enough to at least put UNC in the final conversation. It’s just a time game now. Meanwhile, Belichick has been making headlines in more ways than one…

Leave some pizza for the 5-star QB too Bill Belichick

First year, full speed! UNC’s Bill Belichick is on the recruiting trail, going after Jared Curtis and other top targets this offseason. The GOAT coach is doing what he can to become a fan favorite at North Carolina. And that includes feeding the fraternities.

As Ross Martin of 247Sports reported, Belichick is pulling a move straight out of the college football charm playbook—sending pizzas to UNC fraternity houses as students settle in to watch the Tar Heels battle Duke in one of college basketball’s fiercest rivalries. The message? ‘I may be new here, but I get it.’

He will have the opportunity to do just that on the football field during his first season, but of course, UNC-Duke is first and foremost a basketball war. Belichick isn’t just focused on earning student support, though. He’s already deep in the recruiting grind, going head-to-head for top prospects like quarterback Curtis. Maybe if he sends a few pizzas Curtis’ way, the five-star might just return the favor with an official visit.

After all, who doesn’t like free pizzas?