Bill Belichick stood firm behind UNC Football on Wednesday night as the team stumbles through a 2-3 start in his first college season. "I'm fully committed to UNC Football and the program we're building here," Belichick told Sports Illustrated.
The higher-ups quickly rallied behind him. Athletic director Bubba Cunningham voiced his support: "Coach Belichick has the full support of the Department of Athletics and University," he stated to Sports Illustrated.
The numbers tell a tough story. The Tar Heels are barely keeping their heads above water - ranked 133rd out of 136 FBS teams - averaging just 263.8 yards per game. Their scoring has been even worse in ACC games, where they're at the bottom with 18.8 points.
Behind the scenes, things are messy. A damaging WRAL report showed players and families talking about a messy and unfriendly environment. Making matters worse, cornerbacks coach Armond Hawkins might be suspended for allegedly giving special benefits to players' families.
The rough start has wider ripples. Just five games in, Hulu pulled the plug on its planned show about Belichick's move to college coaching.
UNC went all in - bumping up football spending by 25% - to snag the former NFL genius for $50 million over five years. His deal includes an interesting out: the buyout drops from $10 million to $1 million after June 1.
Coming off a defeat to Clemson, the team gets a short break before taking on California next Friday.
When UNC hired the longtime NFL coach for his first college job, some had their doubts. Those concerns are only getting louder now.
