The TCU Horned Frogs and North Carolina Tar Heels are both missing significant personnel in their season-opening matchup.
Wide receiver Jordan Dwyer’s absence due to an injury will hamper TCU’s passing attack. For North Carolina, it’s defensive coordinator Steve Belichick’s medical leave.
While the Horned Frogs don’t have an equal-caliber player to replace Dwyer with, the Tar Heels are turning their DC’s duties over to their head coach. According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Bill Belichick will call defensive plays for North Carolina against TCU.
“Look for Bill Belichick to be the play-caller, I’ve been told, for UNC going up against [TCU offensive coordinator] Gordon Sammis today,” Thamel said.
Prior to becoming an NFL head coach, Belichick served as the defensive coordinator for two Super Bowl-winning New York Giants teams. He was a defensive-minded head coach in the NFL.
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Last year, his defense yielded 24.5 points per game, 8th-best in the ACC. That unit also allowed the seventh-fewest yards in the conference.
Those numbers demonstrate Belichick’s defense wasn’t the primary culprit for his 4-8 record in Chapel Hill last season. The offense, which posted 19.3 points per game (second-worst in the SEC) needed an overhaul.
If new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino gives that unit a jolt, North Carolina could surprise people in 2026, starting as soon as this afternoon. The Horned Frogs and Tar Heels kick off at 12:00 p.m. E.T. (ESPN).
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