UNC Fans Get Reality Check In Bill Belichick’s Debut

Former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick’s first game in Chapel Hill ended in a lopsided loss.

North Carolina opened strong on Monday night, but Texas Christian dominated the rest of the way, handing the Tar Heels a 48-14 defeat in Belichick’s college coaching debut.

Bud Clark intercepted a pass and returned it 25 yards for a touchdown before halftime, and Kevorian Barnes broke free for a 75-yard score on the opening snap of the second half.

Those quick strikes powered the Horned Frogs to a rout that had much of the sold-out Kenan Stadium crowd gone by the fourth quarter.

The Tar Heels struck first when Caleb Hood punched in a short touchdown run on the game’s opening drive. From there, UNC’s offense faltered. Transfer quarterback Gio Lopez completed only four passes before exiting with a back injury at halftime.

Max Johnson, who returned from a devastating leg injury in last season’s opener, entered in relief and finished 9 of 11 for 103 yards with a late touchdown.

TCU quarterback Josh Hoover delivered two scoring passes, and wideout Jordan Dwyer racked up 136 yards on nine receptions. Trent Battle also added a 28-yard rushing touchdown as the Horned Frogs piled up 542 yards of offense compared with UNC’s 222. They scored 41 unanswered points during one extended stretch, erasing any doubt of the outcome.

Belichick acknowledged his team had been outclassed.

“They were clearly the better team tonight,” he said, as transcribed by the Associated Press.

The 73-year-old coach inherited a retooled roster that included nearly 70 newcomers between transfers and recruits.

That overhaul reflected the Tar Heels’ bet on Belichick’s long-term ability to elevate the program, but Monday showed the project will need time.