Bill Belichick hasn’t lived a single day without controversy creeping his way ever since he stepped into Chapel Hill. The popular narrative around him was that his controlling nature made him a misfit for any NFL team job, and that’s why he opted for college after years of coaching the pros. Another narrative that swirled over the lore was that he wouldn’t be around North Carolina or his first-ever college football job for long. It’s just one of his short-time flings before going back to where he belongs. However, despite all the doubts and disputes, Belichick continues to sit at the helm of the UNC, gearing up to build a championship roster. Washington head coach, Jedd Fisch, gives him a clean chit.

Bill Belichick doesn’t bother about being called out on his personal life, pinpointing his relationship with 24-year girlfriend Jordan Hudson. But when it comes to his loyalty to the Tar Heels, Belichick gave a sharp answer to the critics. “I didn’t come here to leave,” the 72-year-old said during a press conference to dodge the subject of him going back to the NFL radar in a couple of years.

The first year in college will be a crucial test for Belichick to live up to his words of building the Tar Heels from the line of scrimmage out. He has stockpiled the coaching room and the roster with some massive names so far and has a longstanding agenda on how to get the prize. The former Patriots head coach wants to focus on building an air of companionship in the locker room at first. An amiable culture can hold the team together through thick and thin. After all, it’s the basics of coaching philosophy that are important. It doesn’t matter if you are in college or the NFL.

Bill Belichick’s future in CFB came up for discussion when George Wrighster interviewed Washington head coach Jedd Fisch on the March 20th episode of Unafraid Show. Well, how does Fisch fit into the whole Belichick narrative? Is it because Steve Belichick was the defensive coordinator of the Huskies in the 2024 season? Well, their relationship goes way back. It started when Bill Belichick hired Fisch to be his quarterbacks coach at the New England Patriots. The latter only worked with the Patriots for one year before moving to college football for a head coaching position at the Arizona Wildcats. That one year was enough to form a solid bond between the two. It only furthered when the 72-year-old head coach came to the Huskies during the 2024 season.

Wrighster asked Coach Fisch about how he managed to convince Belichick and what was the purpose of having him at Washington. He replied, “This past year, when he was not working as a coach, it gave us an opportunity to maybe reach out a little bit more, ask for a little more help, yeah, call on some favors and see if there were ways that we could continue to learn from him. How does he build the camaraderie in the locker room? What were some of the things that he did in between the strength staff and the medical staff to make that a really strong community? All the different parts of him.” The process was simple. The motive was clear. To have a legendary coach around his program. It also helped that Coach Fisch had Steve Belichick as his DC.

Considering his relationship with the GOAT of NFL coaches, host Wrighster asked Jedd Fisch about Belichick’s UNC gig. ”Some people are skeptical. ‘Oh man! he’s not a college coach; he can’t survive in college football.’ I think the opposite. How do you think that it’s going to go?”

Fisch answered, “I don’t think any of us should be tagged as college coaches or pro coaches for the most part. I think that he’s a coach, and he’s the best one ever to do it. He’s won eight Super Bowls and participated in 11. When you do that, how can you question if he’s going to be successful? There’s no doubt in mind that he’s going to be successful.”

Win or lose at Chapel Hill, Belichick’s coaching legacy is already cemented. He is one of the greatest ever head coaches that exist in the pro football realm, and we all, somehow, know that he will end up in the Hall of Fame with a gold jacket someday or the other. Another successful stint at college can only enhance his resume.

Coach Fisch wasn’t done. The naysayers on Bill Belichick’s future in college football don’t understand a basic thing. Per Coach Fisch, “I think that sometimes, we get a little bit wrapped up in putting people in categories. This guy is a college coach. This guy is a pro coach. We lose the ability to really understand what coaching is. Coaching is teaching. Coaching is getting players to play at their highest level. Coaching is getting assistant coaches to be at their absolute best…” Who has the experience of doing all of that again and again? Well, an eight-time Super Bowl-winning coach.

Now, looking at the realistic aspect of his chance to succeed at Chapel Hills, there will be some bumps, nevertheless, but not non-negotiable at all.

Bill Belichick might feel the absence of the quintessential Tom Brady factor in his college stint

A lot of people believe the current UNC head coach owes his success in the New England Patriots throughout a heck of 24 seasons to Tom Brady. The rumor of a rift potentially ended their union. However, the Brady-Belichick duo is still largely in the rearview when the latter is seeking a fresh challenge at the collegiate level. Now, the question it begs: can Belichick get someone as lofty as Brady in his current depth chart to foster the same level of success?

Over at ESPN’s Always College Football podcast, former New York Jets quarterback Greg McElroy reflected on that debate, saying, “Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. They worked in tandem en route to 6 Super Bowl championships. Well, there’s not an obvious Brady to go with here on North Carolina’s roster.” Belichick has some great names to rely on, though. The list includes Max Johnson, Purdue transfer Ryan Browne, 4-star true freshman Bryce Baker, and a few more, but the projection of that iconic Tom Brady effect is never guaranteed.

“We know that this is a group that does have some talent and some experience. Max Johnson is probably the best example of that. He’s been playing football for quite a while,” McElroy said, dishing some hope amidst the doubt. Johnson, the former Texas A&M product, just came fresh off a season-ending injury in UNC’s 2024 opener. McElroy added he’s “probably not going to be at 100% at any point until fall camp.” But never mind, Belichick will make his guys championship-ready slowly but surely. After all, he knows you can’t win a trophy without good players, no matter who the coach is.