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Beau Atkinson’s departure is the first big blow to Belichick’s program.
On face value, the loss of Atkinson to the transfer portal makes no sense. UNC has seemed immune to the insanity permeating the sport because it hired a head coach who had handled something like it in the NFL.
All you have to do is follow the mess at Tennessee, where a quarterback reportedly signed a contract for $2.4 million. After being good but not great last season, he left the team just before spring practice ended and is apparently holding out for $4 million dollars from some other school.
The NIL era is nuts, for sure, but the Tennessee situation is utter chaos and can only be attributed to the out-of-control pay-for-play atmosphere in the Southeastern Conference and the other power football leagues.
With Atkinson, it is a completely different story, unless there are some underlying reasons that have yet to come out.
He was the Tar Heels sack leader last year, with two seasons of eligibility left, and could command as much money as any other football player at UNC. And he was about ready to suit up for the greatest defensive coach in the history of the game.
Even if there are better offers on the table, entering the transfer portal is a short-term fix compared to a long-term opportunity to play under the six-time Super Bowl champion.
Atkinson’s departure is a serious hit to the new image the Tar Heels are trying to build under Belichick. At the end of spring practice, Atkinson was seen as the cornerstone of the defense that must give the UNC offense time to congeal behind new quarterbacks.
Belichick is notorious for being a curmudgeon when it comes to candor with the media. So we can hardly expect to get any explanation out of the Hoodie, whose philosophy for years has been “next man up” when someone gets hurt or is suspended. So it is unlikely we will hear anything about a player who will no longer be part of the program once the portal opens next week.
Like other programs, the Tar Heels have lost dozens of players and are trying to replace them with incoming transfers. But the 6-6 Atkinson leaving makes no sense for both his football and financial future. If you want to play in the NFL, and you already have a name, why not enhance all that by staying and playing for the reputed defensive genius?
The mess at Tennessee with quarterback Nico Iamaleava has become national news since he left the Vols program a day before the spring game, which is a big taboo in the SEC.
At least publicly, there is no apparent reason for Atkinson, a tremendous edge rusher who was supposed to again contend for defensive honors with the Tar Heels and the conference.
It is another reason why Carolina now also seems to be on the edge.
Featured image via Associated Press/Chris Seward
Art Chansky is a veteran journalist who has written ten books, including best-sellers “Game Changers,” “Blue Bloods,” and “The Dean’s List.” He has contributed to WCHL for decades, having made his first appearance as a student in 1971. His “Sports Notebook” commentary airs daily on the 97.9 The Hill WCHL and his “Art’s Angle” opinion column runs weekly on Chapelboro.Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.
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