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#UNC coach Bill Belichick press conference after victory over ETSU
Sep 12, 2026
#UNC coach Bill Belichick press conference after victory over ETSU
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0:00
Thanks everyone for sticking around.
0:01
That was a long one. Um but um you know
0:05
thought a solid effort by our uh by our
0:07
guys. Um
0:09
uh you know we were able to you know
0:11
convert our opportunities into
0:12
touchdowns and and um and made a couple
0:15
rare stops on defense. Uh they keep the
0:18
points down. So you know ultimately that
0:20
was a big difference in the game. Uh you
0:22
know our running backs had good
0:23
production. I thought Billy made some
0:24
good checks at the line of scrimmage on
0:26
some of the the tough looks that uh you
0:29
know ETSU uh gave us, but um you know
0:32
that's good football team. I think
0:33
they're well coached. They do a good job
0:34
and um you know certainly the way they
0:38
control the ball in the first half and
0:39
kind of kept our offense off the field
0:41
was um you know was a was a good game
0:43
plan um you know by coach Healey. They
0:45
have been no huddle um you know all the
0:48
way up until well in the first two
0:50
games. They've done a lot of it last
0:51
year. it kind of, you know, took a
0:53
different course uh today and and um you
0:56
know that that um you know was a little
0:58
bit of a problem for us we had to adjust
0:59
to. So, um, good to, you know, good to
1:02
get that one, um, today. Again, thought
1:05
it was a solid effort in all three
1:06
phases and, um, you know, it's big week
1:08
coming up for us. So, you know, we'll be
1:10
excited to get started on, uh, on
1:13
Clemson.
1:16
How do you see the most growth from game
1:20
two with this group?
1:22
>> Uh, I think really just in preparation,
1:24
the way they approached the week. Um,
1:26
you know, at least we had some film to
1:28
work with with these guys. TCU was, you
1:31
know, defensively we watched a lot of
1:32
Connecticut film, watched a little bit
1:34
TCU film from last year and it's kind of
1:36
a, you know, mixture. Um, ETSU was, you
1:41
know, we could focus on the two games
1:43
that they played uh against Tus and
1:45
Campbell and and um, you know, it was
1:47
more of a regular preparation
1:48
[clears throat] week for us. So, I
1:50
thought that they did a good job of um,
1:53
you know, studying um, making sure they
1:55
knew their opponent, knew what we were
1:57
what we were trying to do. I thought
1:58
they were, you know, look, it wasn't
2:00
perfect, but, you know, I thought we we
2:02
handled the looks they gave us, um,
2:04
pretty good. I think that was a result
2:05
of the preparation that we had. So, um,
2:08
that's what we need to do every week.
2:10
>> On the right,
2:12
>> I think 63 players played offensively
2:14
and defense today. How important was it
2:16
for you to get a lot of different guys
2:17
out there to the speed of the game in a
2:20
game like this?
2:21
>> Yeah, I mean, it worked out that way.
2:23
You know, the delay was, you know, was
2:24
part of it, too. Um but you know I think
2:27
the big thing was the players that that
2:29
played in the first three quarters. Um
2:31
you know gave us pretty solid effort. Um
2:34
I think we definitely improved from last
2:35
week um in our execution, our
2:37
communication uh just in our ability to
2:40
you know to operate um you know without
2:42
some of the hiccups that we had um in in
2:45
Ireland. So that's like it should be and
2:48
I think hopefully that'll improve here
2:50
over the next couple weeks and then you
2:52
know somewhere around the middle of the
2:53
season hopefully we'll be able to you
2:56
know get get to you know our best
2:58
football.
2:58
>> How specifically did that delay impact
3:00
maybe some other guys?
3:03
Yeah, it was the decision of, you know,
3:05
whether you want to rewarm everybody up
3:06
and put them back out there with a
3:08
35point lead or or, you know, try to get
3:12
those guys out and and, you know, let
3:14
some guys who hadn't played as much,
3:15
give them an opportunity to warm up,
3:16
play, be ready to go. Um, you know,
3:19
you're always concerned in a situation
3:20
like that of putting a player who's
3:21
who's played a lot uh and then has
3:24
cooled down for an hour and a half and
3:25
then put him back out there. You know,
3:26
you wouldn't want to see that player get
3:28
injured. So, uh, we we try to avoid
3:30
that. on the right.
3:32
>> Bill, you mentioned Billy Ak
3:35
pass to eight different guys for these
3:36
10 yards more. What are some of the
3:38
things you like about what he did today?
3:41
>> Yeah, I know. I thought he used uh, you
3:42
know, he went through his progression
3:44
and, you know, did a nice job with the
3:45
reads. Uh, what I was referring to was
3:47
the checks that he made. Uh, you know,
3:49
they gave us some overload blitzes. He
3:51
was able to get the ball, uh, the plays
3:53
called, you know, away from the the
3:55
strength of the defense and and, uh, you
3:57
know, we had some good runs. The backs
3:58
ran well. Uh but you know, Billy was a
4:01
big part of that, too, because he was
4:02
able to get us into those plays. So, um
4:04
you know, again, it was just good job
4:06
all the way around. Good execution
4:08
>> on the Rams on the right, Bill. And just
4:11
talking about, you know, guys who
4:12
stepped up today, I know you y'all are
4:14
lucky you have you have a deep running
4:16
back. You've got Paul, you got
4:19
Deont Juno take taking over today, three
4:22
touchdowns,
4:24
what six carries. What is the importance
4:27
of having a guy like him, you know,
4:29
being able to anchor your offense and
4:31
just showcase the depth you have on that
4:34
side of football?
4:36
>> Yeah, I mean, you can never, you know,
4:37
you never really have too much many
4:39
players and, you know, sometimes in
4:41
September. Um, you you look your depth
4:44
and think, well, we we got a lot here
4:46
and then, you know, you get to the
4:47
middle of October or November and and
4:49
you don't have any depth. So, it can
4:52
change in a hurry. Um, you know, we're
4:54
fortunate that we have uh that kind of
4:56
competition and those kind of players at
4:58
that position. Um, and hopefully we'll
5:00
have that for a long time, but um, depth
5:03
can be, you know, very fragile in
5:04
football. So, um, you know, you always
5:10
you're always a couple plays away from
5:11
not having it. So, well, we're glad we
5:13
have it now and and we'll keep using it.
5:16
Um, and hope we can keep it that way.
5:18
from Spencer. Uh what did you see this
5:20
week or how has he painted so much uh
5:22
kind of week to week in his first two
5:24
games?
5:26
>> Um you know P's been improving pretty
5:28
steadily since he's been here um going
5:30
back to the spring uh even in the summer
5:32
and then training camp just seems to get
5:34
more and more comfortable with um you
5:36
know with the defense. This is quite a
5:38
bit different than the way they played
5:39
at Richmond. Um and he played well there
5:41
and that's a very good defensive system
5:43
too. Like they're well coached. They do
5:44
a good job. We're just a little bit
5:45
different than they are. And so, um, you
5:48
know, he's he's picked things up. He's
5:50
pretty instinctive. He's a good tackler.
5:51
He's fast. Um, he definitely has no
5:54
knows and can find the ball. Um, but,
5:56
you know, he keeps getting better and,
5:57
you know, he's been able to work with
5:58
Derek and both are both both new to the
6:00
program. So, um, you know, they're
6:03
getting some real game experience and I
6:04
think that's helped both of them as
6:05
well.
6:09
>> How long can you expect?
6:11
>> Yeah, he's dayto-day. Um, nobody's
6:13
working harder than he is to get back.
6:14
So, um, you know, hopefully we get it
6:17
back as soon as possible.
6:18
>> All right.
6:20
>> Bill, with so many players having to
6:22
play today, as Noah mentioned, um, how
6:24
much can you take from this game given
6:26
that it was against an FCS team knowing
6:29
that um, going into next week
6:33
>> for the the team or the players that
6:35
played?
6:36
>> Well, just for the team overall.
6:37
>> Yeah. Well, look, again, you know, the
6:41
one schedule, we play them, so that's
6:43
all we can do. we can't control that.
6:45
Biggest thing for us is to be prepared
6:47
to go out there and execute and and uh
6:48
you know play to our level confidence
6:50
and that's what we tried to do. So, um
6:54
like I said, look, I don't care what
6:55
division ETSU is in. Like they're well
6:57
coached, they have good players. Um and
7:00
you know, they certainly gave us some
7:02
problems today that we had to adjust to.
7:04
And you know, I mean, we had to play
7:05
hard. It wasn't it wasn't anything easy
7:07
out there today. So, I give them a lot
7:09
of credit. Um, you know, Clemson's
7:11
Clemson and you know, they're they're a
7:13
good team, too. So, you know, we do the
7:16
best we can to get ready to go and and
7:17
go down there and and be ready to go
7:19
play.
7:20
>> On the left of Brian, Bill, you're
7:23
obviously dealing with some coaching
7:25
challenges on the defensive side. How
7:26
are you guys able to be so good on that
7:28
side? Who's calling play without guard?
7:31
You had Harvey and Lewis each two sacks.
7:34
Greg Smith had two turnovers. Seems like
7:37
you got other players.
7:40
Yeah. Well, I mean, it's just good team
7:41
defense. You know, one guy can't can't
7:43
stop an offense. So, um, you know,
7:45
sometimes, uh, those plays, you know,
7:47
those guys made good plays, don't get me
7:49
wrong, but, um, you know, like on
7:51
Smith's fumble, um, you know, it was a
7:53
cause fumble. You know, he made a great
7:54
play on the interception. Um, that was a
7:56
good check that, you know, that he made
7:57
to get into that position, then made a
7:59
nice play on the ball. So, you know,
8:01
when everybody's working together, then,
8:03
you know, the plays will come and and um
8:06
who who exactly gets them. You know,
8:08
sometimes it depends on what play they
8:09
have called, but if we can play good
8:11
team defense and and hustle the ball,
8:13
tackle, not give up big plays,
8:15
[clears throat] then that's, you know,
8:16
that's the best that's what we want to
8:17
try to do.
8:18
>> Brian, coach, congrats on the you had a
8:22
touchdown drive of 99 92 yards. What
8:25
does it tell you about an offense, your
8:27
offense when you can consistently
8:28
execute from that play without
8:31
>> Yeah, I mean that's that's really that's
8:33
great offensive football. Um and you
8:36
know I think Bobby and and the offensive
8:38
staff did a great job there. Um, but
8:40
also, you know, our players, I mean, we
8:41
work hard on the conditioning and and,
8:43
you know, it's important for us, we talk
8:45
about it all the time is at the end of
8:47
those long drives is to be able to
8:48
finish in the end zone. And, uh, you
8:50
know, you don't want to have a, you
8:51
know, nine plays for 80 yards and and a
8:55
kicking a field goal. You want to be
8:56
able to, you know, finish that drive
8:57
with a touchdown. So, that's where you
8:59
need your best execution is in the red
9:01
area where there's less space and
9:02
everything has to be more more precise.
9:04
There's more defenders close to the line
9:05
of scrimmage, you know, all those
9:07
things. And so it was um you know it was
9:09
good to see us do that. I thought really
9:10
some of our best plays came in the red
9:12
area and around the goal line and we had
9:14
some pretty pretty cleanly blocked plays
9:16
and um you know Snee gave us a couple
9:18
good plays down there on that I think
9:20
that third touchdown drive. So um you
9:22
know we had some different guys step up
9:24
but yeah the execution at the end of the
9:26
drive when um when you're trying to get
9:28
seven instead of you know just being
9:30
held to three the execution there
9:31
conditioning um stamina and you know
9:34
just concentration.
9:37
Hey Bill, what did CJ Sabler do to earn
9:40
the time he's getting the season? What
9:42
have you seen from him so far?
9:45
>> Yeah. Uh, you know, CJ's a, you know,
9:47
really competitive player. Shows up
9:48
every day. I mean, you saw last week,
9:50
you know, against TCU, he made a couple
9:52
key blocks for us. Um, so, you know, he
9:54
competes hard on every play, whether
9:55
he's getting the ball or not getting the
9:57
ball or, you know, running a route that
9:59
helps somebody else, uh, you know, clear
10:01
space for somebody else. Um, so he's
10:03
he's earned that playing time. Um,
10:05
nothing was given. He earned it. And and
10:07
then, you know, when you earn it, you
10:08
get those opportunities to play and and
10:11
if you do well with them, you get more
10:12
opportunities. And if you don't, then
10:14
you get fewer. But he's taken advantage
10:16
of the playing time that he's gotten and
10:18
um, you know, it's good.
10:28
>> I thought Billy did a great job. I
10:30
really did a great job. saw the field
10:31
well in the passing game and as I said
10:33
made some good checks in the running
10:34
game to get us into plays that were
10:36
better than the ones that um you know
10:39
that that would have been called had he
10:41
not changed them put it that way. So um
10:43
you know he did a nice job for us today.
10:45
>> On the right side
10:47
>> Billy after TCU's second drive in the
10:49
double into ETSU's final drive today
10:52
your defense allowed no points. What do
10:54
you think that what do you attribute to
10:56
that level of defensive consistency for
10:59
your score?
11:01
>> Well, players playing good team defense
11:03
is where it starts and um you know you
11:06
can't give up big plays um you know when
11:08
you give up you know long touchdown
11:10
passes and you know you don't have a
11:11
chance to you know to stop them in the
11:13
red area. So, um, if we don't give up
11:15
big plays and make them drive it,
11:17
hopefully we can make plays somewhere
11:18
along the way to, you know, knock them
11:20
off, um, you know, get behind the
11:22
chains, get them in long yardage, and
11:23
then then make a stop or, you know, or
11:26
make a good play on third down to to get
11:27
off the field. So, um,
11:31
there's only two ways to score on
11:33
offense. Either score on big plays or
11:34
you drive it through the red area. Like,
11:35
that's it. So, if we don't allow either
11:38
one of those, then you can keep the
11:40
points down. you give up big plays or
11:41
you don't play good right defense, then
11:44
you're probably going to give a lot of
11:45
points.
11:47
>> How much of a difference this year play
11:50
and that tight end is something you
11:52
didn't have last?
11:54
>> Yeah, it's been a huge difference.
11:55
Jani's done, you know, been a real
11:57
weapon for us. Again, anytime you get a
11:59
good player in the middle of the field
12:00
where he has the options to go down the
12:03
field or go across or go outside, he's
12:06
just has a lot more space to work in
12:07
than, you know, the perimeter receiver
12:09
does. and and obviously he's a big
12:10
target and he's good with the ball in
12:12
his hands. So, um you know, as I've said
12:15
before, I've always had good tight ends
12:17
going all the way back to, you know,
12:20
Bavaro and Dan Graham and Watson drafted
12:22
them in the first round. Gronowski and,
12:25
you know, $15 million for Hunter Henry
12:28
and John Smith and all. I mean, you
12:30
know, having a tight end has been an
12:32
important part of of the offense. Coach
12:33
Patrino does a great job of of utilizing
12:36
uh players in that position and um you
12:40
know it's a tough matchup on defense.
12:41
Hard to find somebody to cover those
12:42
guys that are you know 6'4, 6'5, 66, 250
12:45
lbs. You know they're athletic that can
12:47
run. It's there's not a lot of guys on
12:49
defense that can handle that matchup. So
12:53
um yeah, it's great to have that as a
12:55
weapon. I mean we've gotten probably
12:57
more production from the tight end
12:58
position this year we did all last year.
13:01
back coach.
13:02
>> Coach, a lot of folks don't realize that
13:04
place kickoffs and finding all the one
13:07
player player. You guys step up.
13:12
>> Yeah, I mean Aaron's um you know, really
13:14
works hard. He's a very athletic kid. Um
13:16
he's obvious, you know, he can boom the
13:19
ball. Uh for him, it's really a matter
13:20
of, you know, technique and and
13:22
concentration fundamentals. You know,
13:24
punting is is really all about the drop.
13:26
You know, if you can get the ball in the
13:27
right spot, your your leg can do the
13:29
work. um you know on on kickoffs and
13:32
extra points. It's you know so much
13:34
about especially on extra points and
13:36
field goals timing and the operation
13:38
with the holder and you know the the you
13:41
know hitting the ball as it's placed on
13:42
the ground as opposed to just you know
13:44
run kicking off the tea on the kickoff.
13:46
So you know that's always the hardest
13:47
thing to do and you know we've think
13:49
we've improved in that operation but you
13:51
know obviously still have a ways to go.
13:53
You know we missed two field goals each
13:54
of the last two weeks so hopefully we
13:55
can you know tighten that up a little
13:57
bit going forward. We'll need those
13:58
points.
14:00
Bill, obviously not your first weather
14:02
delay and during that hour and 19 minute
14:05
delay where your focus is in the coach.
14:07
What are you trying to take advantage of
14:09
in that time?
14:11
>> Um yeah. Um again, first of all, you
14:15
don't know how long the delay is going
14:16
to be. It starts off being a half hour
14:18
and then it and then the time frame
14:20
changes depending on what the uh you
14:22
know what the weather's doing. But um
14:25
there was a point there where we
14:26
decided, you know, it would be too hard
14:28
to put all the guys in who had been
14:30
playing to rewarm them up after they'd
14:32
already played three quarters of
14:34
football. And and so at that point, we,
14:37
you know, we played another group of
14:39
players both in the kicking game as well
14:41
as on offense and defense. And so, um,
14:44
you know, we spent some time trying to
14:45
get that organized to make sure that we
14:47
had the, you know, had the right people
14:49
on the field in different situations and
14:51
all. So, um, that's kind of way it went,
14:53
but [clears throat] you're constantly,
14:56
um,
14:57
you you've got to be ready to go, but
14:59
then there's some hurry up and wait. If
15:00
the if there's a second or third, I
15:02
don't know how many rain how many
15:03
lightning delays we have. I think at
15:05
least three. Um, but then every time it
15:07
there's a lightning a new one, it resets
15:10
the whole thing. So, you know, you never
15:12
necessarily make progress. You just go
15:15
back to the reset two or three times.
15:17
That's what happened today.
15:18
>> Two more here, Andrew and Michael. When
15:20
you're in that, you have the guys take
15:22
off their shoulder pads, their heel
15:23
pads, they take off again, and you just
15:25
sort of kind of refresh while you're
15:27
out.
15:27
>> Yeah. Yeah. You know, refresh,
15:29
rehydrate, you know, grab the snacks to
15:32
eat. Um, you know, put on a dry t-shirt,
15:34
you know, I mean, it rained out there a
15:36
little bit today, so some of those guys
15:38
are able to, you know, maybe change
15:40
their shoes, stuff like that. But, you
15:42
know, it's up to each individual guy.
15:44
>> Michael, go ahead. Bill was a unique
15:46
situation like you said with the weather
15:48
delay coming between his snaps, but what
15:50
did you see from Miles coming in from
15:52
Millie today?
15:53
>> Um, yeah, you know, it's good
15:55
opportunity for Miles to, you know, get
15:56
in there and play. I mean, look, in his
15:58
situation, you never know, uh, you know,
16:01
if you're going to be in there on the
16:02
second play of the game or you're going
16:03
to come in, you know, in the fourth
16:05
quarter ahead, behind, or somewhere in
16:08
between. Uh, you know, that's position.
16:09
Sometimes you just don't know what the
16:11
circumstances are. So you you know you
16:14
just have to be ready um you know for
16:16
any situation that presents itself. And
16:19
you know I thought he did a good job of
16:20
that. He came in you know ran the team
16:22
cleanly um made made some good decisions
16:24
and so um yeah I thought he did a good
16:27
job.
16:29
>> Thank you. Okay.
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