UNC head coach Bill Belichick met with the media Monday morning at the Kenan Football Center. It was the head coach’s first press conference since reports surfaced last week of him seemingly being on his way out of Chapel Hill, and of a toxic environment inside the program.

Below is Belichick’s opening statement:

Some of the reports out last week about my looking for a buyout and trying to leave here and all that is just categorically false. There’s zero truth to any of that. I’m glad I’m here. We’re working toward our goals and the process. I’ve had great support from Chancellor [Lee] Roberts, [athletic director] Bubba [Cunningham], [athletic director in waiting] Steve [Newmark], and so forth. [General manager] Mike Lombardi. Those people have all been great and I appreciate all their help in everything. We just believe very much in the process. Like [former San Francisco 49ers head coach] Bill Walsh said, the score will take care of itself, and I’ve always believed that. You’ve just gotta keep working and grinding away, and that’s exactly what we’re doing.

During the bye week, numerous sources reported Belichick and UNC were working toward an “exit strategy.” In the days following, WRAL published an explosive investigative report detailing fractures within the UNC locker room. Soon after, assistant coach Armond Hawkins was suspended for allegedly providing impermissible benefits to the family of a player, which were reported to be sideline passes.

Of Hawkins, Belichick simply said, “That’s being handled internally.”

The Tar Heels will return to action Friday night when they visit Cal at 10:30 p.m. Eastern time. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.

 

Featured image via Associated Press/John Raoux

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