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UNC’s two new football teams are off to understandable starts.
Bill Belichick was using his football coaching code when he repeatedly said, “We have 70 new players,” referring to transfers and freshmen whom he knew would take time congealing into a winner.
His other, off-the-field team of assistant coaches and support staff would also face adjustments in getting familiar with him and their new surroundings, but that would be easier from prior relationships.
General Manager Mike Lombardi, who worked for the Hoodie in Cleveland and New England, was going with Belichick whether he landed another NFL job or took his first college coaching position.
Lombardi is a well-spoken stand-in for the head coach whether in front of the media or hosting his various radio and TV shows. He knows Belichick better than anyone and can explain him well.
On Monday night’s newly renamed Carolina Football Live hour from Top of the Hill, Lombardi has great chemistry with host Jones Angell and helps introduce players appearing as guests on the show.
He knows exactly what Belichick wants to do and, as an author of six football books, talks articulately about the game and how his boss builds a program from meetings to practice to autumn weekends.
Lombardi would not say so but likely knew that Carolina could not beat a bigger, more experienced TCU team from the Big 12 in the opener that attracted a record number of people to Chapel Hill.
“The Old Well Walk was like something I had never experienced before,” he said. “Now, I was in Super Bowl parades after we won, but we hadn’t won anything here yet and everyone still came out.”
And he helps Angell engage with player guests like quarterback Gio Lopez, who was named a starter despite a short practice window to prepare, and said his 6-foot size made some schools pass on him.
“He’s a great long ball thrower,” Lombardi said of the sophomore who had never taken a snap from under center – just in the shotgun – before he arrived at UNC. And he is now doing both pretty well.
Lopez talked about how all the new players have gotten to know each other, are working hard and having fun getting to know their new head coach, who they often find on the treadmill before practice.
How the 1-1 season plays out from here, no one knows while the expectations remain high. The Tar Heels should notch their second win versus FCS Richmond at home Saturday at 3:30.
But the true test of their progress will come at 2-0 Central Florida of the Big 12 in Orlando on September 20 and, after an idle weekend, hosting 12th-ranked Clemson on October 4 in Kenan Stadium.
If both of these Tar Heel teams continue to bond, they could win any of their remaining seven games against ACC opponents predicted to finish below No. 8 Carolina in the conference picks by the media.
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.
