Belichick on Tar Heels coaching job: ‘We’ll see’
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Pete Thamel
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Chris Low
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Chris Low
ESPN Senior Writer
- College football reporter
- Joined ESPN.com in 2007
- Graduate of the University of Tennessee
Bill Belichick confirmed he has been in talks with North Carolina about the school’s open coaching job in an interview on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Monday afternoon.
Sources told ESPN that talks between UNC and Belichick, 73, have continued, with some type of resolution either way expected this week.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Belichick met with North Carolina officials for five hours Sunday. A smiling Belichick declined comment when asked specifically about that interview, joking that he wanted keep his old news conference aura.
Belichick confirmed to McAfee that he has had a “couple of good conversations” with UNC chancellor Lee Roberts. He adds: “We’ll see how that goes.” He concluded the interview by saying about the UNC job: “We’ll see. We’ll see.”
The NCAA transfer portal opened Monday, which leaves UNC’s roster potentially in flux. Sources told ESPN that Belichick met with UNC officials in New York last week and dialogue has continued.
Belichick did talk in hypotheticals about what his college program could look like, stressing “if” he took a college job. He observed that modern college football looks a lot more like the NFL.
“If I was in a college program, the college program would be a pipeline to the NFL for the players that had the ability to play in the NFL,” he said. “It would be a professional program — training, nutrition, scheme, coaching and techniques that would transfer to the NFL.”
He concluded a lengthy portrait of what the program would look like by saying: “It would be an NFL program, but not at the NFL level.”
Belichick has never coached at the college level but did grow up on college campuses, including his father spending three years as a UNC assistant coach.
For UNC, the candidate pool outside of Belichick is dwindling, which has increased the pressure to hire him.
Tulane coach Jon Sumrall is no longer going to be linked to the job. Tulane announced Monday that it has reached an agreement in principle with Sumrall for a contract extension.
Sumrall and Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith were two names most prominently linked to the job when it opened. Smith is no longer engaged in the job. Iowa State‘s Matt Campbell is not expected to be a candidate.
UNC has also spoken to Army‘s Jeff Monken about the opening, a source told ESPN’s Chris Low.
It’s uncertain how deep UNC’s talks with Belichick are, per sources, other than they’ve gone on for an extended period.
The UNC search has been scattered, according to sources, with an uncertainty in the industry about who is running it. Board of trustees chair John P. Preyer has been a key Belichick advocate throughout the process and has galvanized a group at the school behind Belichick’s potential hire.
Some people with ties to Belichick are skeptical he’d take the job, as he has never worked in college football. Others say he has been sincere and thorough in his interest and has a desire to return to the sideline.
There are issues that loom over any Belichick’s courtship, including the potential role of his son Stephen Belichick, UNC’s NIL resources, Belichick’s salary and resources for the staff.
Belichick made clear as of Monday afternoon that he’s still involved with the job. And there’s plenty of ancillary signs on the landscape that support that.
Representatives from UNC’s collective have hypothetically discussed players’ potential interest if Belichick took the job. They stressed that nothing was done but they have held discussions about the idea.
Third parties have also been calling potential staff members for a college job should a deal come together, per sources. Belichick’s exploration has included a dive on nearly every aspect of college coaching and how it would look.
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Jesse Rogers
CHICAGO — Los Angeles Dodgers starter Blake Snell will back off his throwing program as he continues to recover from left shoulder inflammation, according to manager Dave Roberts.
“As he was playing catch, he just didn’t feel great,” Roberts said Wednesday afternoon before the Dodgers played the Chicago Cubs. “Right now, we’re going to slow play the throwing. Will probably get it looked at again when we get back home.”
Snell, 32, has been on the injured list since early April after making just two starts for the Dodgers. He signed a five-year, $182 million contract this past offseason.
Snell, who was set to throw a bullpen session Wednesday, felt discomfort in the shoulder while playing catch Tuesday. Roberts was asked how concerning the latest setback was.
“I wouldn’t say concerning because part of the messaging from us to Blake is, it’s about later on in the season and if there’s any type of discomfort, let’s not try to fight through it,” Roberts responded.
Snell is one of several Dodgers pitchers on the mend, including left-hander Clayton Kershaw, who pitched three innings in a minor league start Tuesday, his second rehab outing this spring.
“Velocity was good,” Roberts said. “Got into the fourth inning. He’ll make a start next week. Really positive stuff.”
The Dodgers also received positive news about right-hander Tyler Glasnow after he left his last start with leg cramps. His latest bullpen session went well, according to Roberts.
Meanwhile, Shohei Ohtani is throwing again after missing time on the paternity list. He’ll have another bullpen session Saturday as he recovers from elbow surgery, though the team still doesn’t have a timetable for his return to major league action.
The team was also without catcher Will Smith on Wednesday after he injured his wrist on a play at the plate in Tuesday’s loss to the Cubs.
“As he made the tag, his [left] wrist turned in and so there’s some residual soreness,” Roberts said.
Smith could get imaging done when the team returns to Los Angeles, but Roberts wasn’t overly concerned about the injury.
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Jesse Rogers
CHICAGO — Most players are happy to be done facing the Los Angeles Dodgers, but Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong might not be one of them.
The Los Angeles native has torched his childhood team this season, including Wednesday night at Wrigley Field when he went 3-for-4 with a home run, two stolen bases and a career-high four RBIs, helping the Cubs to a 7-6 win. It came one night after Chicago beat L.A. 11-10, with Crow-Armstrong contributing another home run.
He was asked Wednesday whether his production has special meaning coming against the team he used to root for.
“Absolutely,” he said. “I mean, they are regarded as the best, and I think we’ve enjoyed being able to show that we’re right there with them, and yeah, it’s always a little extra special for me getting to do it against the team I grew up going to see.”
Crow-Armstrong erased a 2-0 Cubs deficit with an opposite-field, three-run homer in the fourth inning, then added a run-scoring single an inning later, which turned out to be the final run of the night for the Cubs.
Overall, he had four home runs and nine RBIs in the seven-game season series against the Dodgers, which the Cubs won 4-3 after losing the first two games in Japan in mid-March. But that was before the Cubs’ offense took off. They’re averaging an MLB-high 6.3 runs per game.
Crow-Armstrong’s season took off as well, starting over a week ago when the teams met in Los Angeles. In the 10 games since, the 23-year-old is hitting .400 with five home runs.
“He needs to send me a bottle of wine or some golf balls with all the success he’s had,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts quipped before Wednesday’s game.
Roberts and Crow-Armstrong exchanged pleasantries before the first game of the series, as the second-year player is friends with Roberts’ son, Cole. The two played against each other growing up.
“I got a couple different connections to Doc,” Crow-Armstrong said. “He’s so great.”
That’s the same word Crow-Armstrong’s teammates are using about him as he continues to impress both at the plate and in the field. According to ESPN Research, he’s the fastest player in Cubs history to reach five home runs and 10 stolen bases, doing it in 26 games.
Plus, his pitchers love seeing him patrol center field.
“Defensively, I got to say he’s probably the best,” Wednesday’s starter, Matthew Boyd, said. “And what he’s doing at the plate is no surprise.”
Crow-Armstrong showed signs of breaking out late last year but then struggled early this season before locking in during the Cubs’ most recent road trip. He said he got “on-time” with his swing while learning how to deal with failure better. He was asked how satisfied he is with his game right now.
“If it comes out in a win, it’s very satisfactory,” he said. “It makes me feel very content. I love being able to impact it in any way I can.”
So does his manager, who called Wednesday a “wonderful game” for Crow-Armstrong.
“He made his presence felt in a big way for sure,” Craig Counsell said.
Crow-Armstrong is quickly becoming a fan favorite, as the Cubs faithful are taking to his aggressive style of play. He was asked what it’s like to hear his name chanted when he comes to the plate after producing in previous at-bats.
“I’ve tried to tune that out,” he said with a laugh. “I was actually thinking about it yesterday and I was like, I got to be 0-for-20 when they’ve chanted my name. But they continue to chant and they get behind every one of us and it’s the coolest thing.”
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