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#UNC coach Bill Belichick fields many non-football questions at his pre-ETSU press conference.
Sep 7, 2026
#UNC coach Bill Belichick fields many non-football questions at his pre-ETSU press conference.
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0:00
Yeah, we're um you know, obviously
0:02
excited to get season started here at
0:05
home, you know, in Kenan, 100th
0:06
anniversary. So, um you know, great
0:09
recognition of the um uh history of this
0:12
of this uh stadium and you know, all the
0:15
great people that have played and
0:17
coached here. So, um you know, we're
0:18
excited to be back home. Ireland was a
0:20
good trip, but you know, that's all in
0:21
my rearview mirror now. um understand
0:24
the importance of uh you know the work
0:27
that's being done by the investigative
0:29
team and um you know our um obviously
0:32
our our high standard here of you know
0:34
our code of conduct and doing things the
0:36
right way and making sure that our
0:38
student athletes um are are given the
0:42
utmost the best treatment the very best
0:44
care and the very best coaching uh that
0:46
we can possibly give them. So that's um
0:48
you know critically important to us. Um,
0:52
but moving on to ETSU, uh, you know,
0:54
this is a pretty impressive team. You
0:56
know, Coach Healey's done a good job
0:57
here. Um, you know, offensively, they're
0:59
they're a very explosive team. They're
1:02
averaging over 40 points a game, 500
1:04
yards a game. Uh, close to 60% on third
1:07
down. Uh, they haven't scored less than
1:09
14 points in any quarter. Um, and
1:12
they're really they rack up a lot of,
1:13
you know, a lot of big numbers. Uh
1:15
they're very well balanced team with,
1:17
you know, 500 yards a game, 200 on the
1:19
ground, 300 in the air. Um have an
1:22
excellent return game. Um with the, you
1:25
know, both the kick returner, um uh
1:27
Payton, the running back, and and uh
1:31
number two, I'm not sure how to
1:32
pronounce this guy's name, but he's the
1:34
one of their receivers that returns
1:36
punts. Big, strong, tough kid. So, they
1:38
have a really good return game. And
1:39
then, you know, defensively, um Jenkins
1:42
Johnson, two really good players. and
1:44
they have a, you know, excellent free
1:46
safety u one of the better ones that
1:48
we'll see back there. So, um a lot of
1:51
explosive talent uh on offense. You
1:53
know, Mim's done done a good job for him
1:55
um at quarterback and of course um you
1:58
know, the tight end Browder is a you
2:00
know, guy who's been in a couple uh
2:02
schools, did a nice job at uh UCF and,
2:04
you know, is a big, you know,
2:06
good-looking uh you know, 66 67 type,
2:09
you know, tight end. So, you know, he's
2:11
a problem. you know, a very explosive
2:13
group of receivers. So, they play a lot
2:14
of people um in on all phases of the
2:17
game, offense and defense. So, we got a
2:20
lot of different guys to get ready for,
2:21
but um it's a very explosive team
2:23
offensively and in the return game on
2:25
special teams. So, um you know, those
2:28
are some of our our big challenges this
2:29
week.
2:30
>> We'll get started with a question. Can
2:31
you get just raise your hand off all of
2:33
those for questions? Andrew, go ahead
2:34
and get us started at the front right.
2:36
>> Bill, how is your son Steve with his
2:39
process right now and Still he's still
2:42
on medical leave.
2:43
>> Is there a time for return? Is it
2:45
contingent at all based on what's going
2:46
on with the investigation?
2:49
>> No.
2:50
>> On the left.
2:52
>> Bill, what would you say to fans that
2:54
might be concerned about a year's worth
2:56
of headlines off the field that they
2:59
find concerning? What would you say?
3:00
>> Yeah, we're focused on, you know,
3:02
getting off to a good start at home and
3:03
and um you know, playing competing well
3:05
against ETSU. You know, we had a good
3:07
game to build on from last week. Uh but
3:09
that's over and so now we're on to week
3:11
two.
3:11
>> But in terms of what that says about how
3:14
the program operates away from football.
3:18
>> Yeah. I mean, you know, look, I think
3:20
our student athletes conducted
3:22
themselves great. Um we had a great trip
3:24
to Ireland. Um you know, I'm proud of
3:26
our student athletes, our players, and
3:28
so I think they're what they did in
3:30
Ireland is a good example of
3:32
representing our school. on the right to
3:34
observe.
3:37
>> Um, have you been talked to by the
3:39
investigators and were you made aware at
3:41
any point of complaints, allegations, or
3:43
this line of inquiry using either
3:45
yourself or the
3:47
>> Yeah, Brian, again, we're not allowed to
3:48
talk about the investigation. So, still
3:52
not.
3:54
>> Go ahead, please. Bill,
3:58
do you believe that your program has an
4:00
atmosphere of compliance?
4:03
>> Yeah, totally.
4:06
>> That right.
4:08
>> Uh Warren, Bill, I understand you can't
4:10
ask uh can't talk about the
4:11
investigation, but why do you think
4:14
questions are being asked by
4:15
investigators about sex and drug abuse
4:17
within the program?
4:19
>> Yeah, talk to I don't know. You got to
4:22
ask them.
4:24
you know, your your GM steps down amid
4:27
the investigation. Your son's on medical
4:30
leave amid questions from investigators
4:31
about drugs.
4:32
>> Pat, I understand we're going to keep
4:33
asking those questions. I can't speak
4:35
about that. It's already been we've
4:36
already talked about
4:37
>> just the question then would just be
4:38
what indications do we have based on the
4:40
last year and everything that's been
4:41
reported that you have control of this
4:43
program?
4:46
>> I think it's if you're around here every
4:48
day, I think you'd see it.
4:52
coach, you know, considering the uh
4:54
results on the field, the known
4:55
fractures of the staff that you picked,
4:58
how can fans trust you to lead this
5:00
program to success for the rest of this
5:02
season, let alone the rest of your
5:04
contract?
5:05
>> Yeah, well, we're day by day and we're
5:07
definitely, you know, doing the best we
5:08
can to prepare for ETSU. They have a
5:10
great program. Um, they play very
5:12
competitively. We've seen that the last
5:14
two weeks and that's what our focus is.
5:15
So, you know, that's our goal on
5:17
Saturday is to go out there and play as
5:19
well as we can against them at home.
5:24
Go ahead, Secretary.
5:26
So, um
5:29
19 uh 2023 NCAA rules
5:34
clarify
5:37
you have in charge of all the comp.
5:44
I don't know why they did that rule. It
5:47
starts it goes to the head coach now.
5:49
Are you aware of that rule change in
5:52
2020?
5:54
>> Yeah, I'm aware of all the instability
5:56
rules. I mean, I can't tell you that. I
5:58
know the rule book word for word, but
6:01
yeah.
6:04
>> Right. Bill,
6:05
>> what does it look like having fulltime
6:07
general manager on staff helping your
6:08
program in the season? Do you have a
6:10
timeline to add?
6:11
>> Yeah. Um,
6:13
you know, that's that's kind of the way
6:14
it's been here for the last few weeks.
6:16
So, we've kind of redistributed some
6:17
things and um you know, we'll continue
6:19
to stay with that for the you know, for
6:21
the time being.
6:25
>> You have any conversations with
6:30
>> Yeah, I'm focused on ETSU.
6:32
That's what our team's doing.
6:39
>> Have you had have you had questions,
6:41
parents reaching out concerned about
6:42
some of the things they read through the
6:44
report and maybe one that gets some
6:46
reassurance that the program is maybe
6:50
operating differently than some of the
6:51
perceptions right now.
6:54
>> Parents,
6:54
>> parents or players? Would you concern
6:57
that?
6:57
>> No, I mean I talk to the players on a
6:59
daily basis. Um, you know, I think I
7:00
have a good relationship with the
7:02
players, but you can certainly talk to
7:04
them, but you know, I keep them informed
7:06
and and um, you know, do the best I can.
7:08
uh and our staff does the best they can
7:10
do a good job of you know staying on top
7:12
of the players holding them accountable
7:13
for the things that they need to do both
7:15
on and off the field as student athletes
7:17
and as football players and to prepare
7:19
the team to be ready to play hard and
7:20
play well on Saturdays that's what we do
7:25
>> as being in the NFL and transitioning to
7:29
this role has the college experience uh
7:32
changed how you want to oversee it all
7:34
in parts of running the program uh off
7:37
the
7:42
I'm not really sure I understand the
7:44
question, but you know, my my main focus
7:47
is to coach the football team and that's
7:48
where I put my time and energy and
7:50
that's what I'm that's what we're doing
7:52
right now. We're in the middle of the
7:53
season or the season started, you know,
7:55
and so that that's where we're at, you
7:57
know, obviously everybody's responsible
8:00
um including me, you know, for doing
8:02
things properly and we intend to do
8:05
that.
8:09
Go ahead.
8:12
Personal question. Is it heartbreaking
8:14
for you to have your own son have such a
8:17
role in football career?
8:23
Whatever kind of as a parent.
8:29
>> Yeah. Look, I love all my kids. Um but
8:32
you know, I'm not going to comment on on
8:34
a medical situation. just can't do it.
8:38
>> Yeah. Well, it's I mean they're all
8:40
related. I get it.
8:42
>> Thank you.
8:45
>> Go ahead, Pat. Uh Bill, is there any
8:48
update on hiring another GM, naming an
8:51
inner GM, and kind of same thing for how
8:53
you coach the defensive coordinator
8:55
going forward?
8:56
>> No updates.
9:00
>> Anybody else?
9:00
>> Do you plan to do you plan to name
9:02
either? Like is that on the horizon?
9:05
plan to do so.
9:07
>> If we do, um, you'll be the first to
9:10
know,
9:15
>> coach a lot,
9:18
>> has the university asked you to change
9:20
any way you run this program?
9:23
>> No, I have an ongoing obviously
9:25
relationship communication with the
9:26
university and um, you know, they've
9:28
been very supportive um, a great working
9:30
relationship with with those people. So,
9:33
um, you know, in the end, look, we want
9:34
to, you know, we want to run the
9:35
program, um, in the very best way, and
9:38
if there's things we need to do to
9:39
correct it, then we'll we'll obviously
9:41
do them.
9:45
>> Bill, how much responsibility do you
9:47
think you bear when there are questions
9:49
being raised about the program?
9:53
>> Yeah. Well, again, I can't really
9:55
comment on that. You know, we'll see
9:57
what the questions or what the answers
9:58
are. I don't know.
10:03
How would you address the investigation
10:04
with your players and doesn't spawn?
10:09
>> Yeah, honestly.
10:14
>> Go ahead, Brian.
10:16
>> Have you talked to to Michael at all?
10:18
Obviously, you guys been friends for a
10:20
long time, worked together for a long
10:21
time. Have you talked to him at all
10:22
since his resignation? And what would
10:24
your message be about the job that he
10:26
did here?
10:28
Yeah, I I'll keep all my conversations,
10:30
private conversations, private, Brian.
10:32
Hope you can respect that.
10:35
As I would do with you. What?
10:38
>> As I would do with you.
10:41
>> What are your thoughts on what has
10:43
transpired right now?
10:46
>> Again, my focus is on getting the team
10:48
ready to play against uh East Tennessee.
10:50
Like that's that's what we're doing
10:52
right now. So, not involved in the other
10:54
part of the process.
10:56
My job is to get the team ready to play
10:58
this weekend. That's what we're going to
10:59
do.
11:01
>> How different is your tone going for
11:03
you? Uh different than your expectation
11:06
of when you first came in versus what
11:07
happened now?
11:10
>> Yeah, my expectations are to do the best
11:12
I can for the team every day. Get our
11:13
team to perform well, coaching staff and
11:15
players. That'll never change. Um it's a
11:18
day-to-day process and you know, today
11:20
we're in our process of game planning
11:22
for this game Saturday. Tomorrow we'll
11:24
go out and practice. We'll practice the
11:26
next day on third down and two minute.
11:27
We'll practice the next day on red area
11:28
and goal line. We'll review everything
11:30
and we'll go out and play on Saturday. I
11:32
mean, we we know we do what we do.
11:34
>> And given what's happening, do you feel
11:35
like that's your players understand that
11:37
as well? How much is this from a
11:38
distraction?
11:40
>> Absolutely. That's that's their job.
11:42
That's our job.
11:44
>> Front row on the left coach. Bill, what
11:46
were your takeaways watching the TCU
11:49
field particularly with the running
11:51
game?
11:53
Uh, you know, I think we left some yards
11:55
on the field. Um, in all three areas,
11:58
you know, uh, offensively, in a running
12:01
game and a passing game, um, in a return
12:03
game, and defensively, you know, we gave
12:06
up some yards that, uh, didn't think we
12:08
need to give up. And so, um, you know,
12:11
we can do a better job of, you know,
12:12
correcting those mistakes, coaching,
12:14
fixing some things. You know, TCU did a
12:16
good job of, uh, attacking us. They got
12:18
us on, you know, they gave us a few
12:19
problems. Um, and so, you know, we'll do
12:22
a good better job hopefully of, uh,
12:25
correcting those, making some
12:26
adjustments. We did that during the game
12:27
as those things popped up. Um, but
12:30
that's, you know, that's part of the
12:31
early, you know, games of the season.
12:34
You know, the first, you know, three,
12:35
four, five games of the year. There's
12:36
going to be an element of that where you
12:37
have to, you know, get attacked by a a
12:40
new team and then fix the problems that
12:42
they try to create for you. And you try
12:45
to create the same ones for them. And
12:47
that's, you know, that's kind of where
12:48
we are in this first, you know, third of
12:50
the season.
12:51
>> It'll be a lot of that. Yeah.
12:54
>> Five starters on the offensive line
12:56
against
12:58
group tournaments. Missed a lot of time
13:01
in your last year. What did you think
13:03
about their performance against?
13:06
>> Yeah. Well, first of all, it's good to
13:07
have them all out there. You know, that
13:09
was a good thing and and hopefully that
13:10
continues. Um, you know, the more those
13:12
guys play together, the more they can
13:14
communicate together and and see the
13:16
game through one set of eyes, which is
13:17
really important. Um, you know, they're
13:20
they're they're responsible for five
13:22
players to block, sometimes six, uh, in
13:25
pass protection, depending on what the
13:26
what the protection is. And so, uh, for
13:28
all them to be on the same page and to
13:30
get the right five for five or five for
13:33
six or whatever it is, especially a team
13:35
like TCU that, uh, did some line game
13:38
twist. they dropped people into the box
13:40
from, you know, nine or 10 yards deep.
13:42
Uh that those DBs actually became
13:44
linebackers. They gave some tough looks
13:47
uh and then stemmed in and out of some
13:48
things. So, you know, that group playing
13:50
together cohesively is very important
13:52
for the uh the success of the offense,
13:55
but also um in coordination with a
13:58
quarterback cuz he needs to know,
13:59
especially in pass protection, you know,
14:01
who's blocked and who isn't. And so, um,
14:03
getting all those guys on the same page,
14:04
being able to work with them through the
14:06
spring and through training camp, you
14:08
know, OTAAS or, uh, not OTAAS, um, PRPs,
14:12
sorry. Uh, and in, um, you know, in
14:16
summer conditioning, stuff like that,
14:17
you know, those things all help, uh, you
14:19
know, gel that group together. And I'd
14:21
say those guys spend a lot of time
14:22
together, you know, as most offensive
14:24
linemen do. And so, um, you know, just
14:26
that camaraderie, that, um, you know,
14:29
that teamwork that that is really
14:30
important to those all five of those
14:32
spots, um, you know, is, you know, we're
14:36
way ahead of where we were last year and
14:37
hopefully we can continue to build on
14:39
that.
14:40
>> On the left,
14:42
>> how the role that played out with the
14:44
running back group, Paul started June,
14:46
you get a carry, so we got every carry
14:48
in the last drive. I know you don't play
14:50
a lot of backs in the back field. How's
14:52
that playing? Well, it's been very
14:55
competitive and so, um, you know, if we
14:57
had Jim Brown and Jim Brown was or Marin
15:00
Hampton and he was standing out as, you
15:02
know, clearly the best player that's
15:04
never going to come off the field, then
15:05
that'd be one thing. But these guys are
15:06
all, uh, very competitive. You know,
15:09
McIll had, you know, a couple really
15:10
good runs, good run on a touchdown. You
15:13
know, Ben had a, you know, early, you
15:15
know, some good runs. Um, I know Guju
15:17
came on, you know, obviously did well
15:19
for us last year.
15:21
Um, so you know, we have multiple backs.
15:24
We confident in all of them. Um, they're
15:25
all going to get their opportunities. If
15:27
one guy can emerge as, you know, as the
15:30
as the guy, then and he will. If not,
15:33
then, you know, we'll continue to use
15:34
our depth. But, you know, it's always
15:36
better to have one too many or two too
15:38
many running backs than not enough. Uh,
15:40
we've been there before and that's not
15:42
good. So, um, those guys all are able to
15:44
make yards on their own. Uh, they're
15:45
good in pass protection, which is
15:47
important. um you know and they they
15:50
work well together. So um I'm glad we
15:52
have that depth and we'll just let them
15:54
compete on the field and you know see
15:56
how it turns out.
15:57
>> We'll finish up with two more here in
15:59
the front and then standing in the back.
16:01
>> When you look at uh I guess how how good
16:04
is it to get a handful of you know the
16:06
freshman you have some of the rookies
16:07
out on the field and getting snacks and
16:10
Carson and David and even a handful of
16:12
you guys. How would you kind of assess
16:14
what you saw from a lot of the freshman
16:16
moving forward? Can't wait to see them.
16:18
>> Yeah. Uh well, again, those are all
16:20
earned reps. So, I mean, they weren't
16:22
they weren't given out. They earned them
16:23
through uh obviously the spring and and
16:26
the summer, but more importantly in
16:28
training camp and some of the
16:29
competitive situations we had there. So,
16:30
when they earn those reps, they get
16:32
opportunities. And then how they do in
16:34
the game either leads to more
16:35
opportunities or possibly less
16:36
opportunities. So, we'll see how that
16:38
goes. But, um it's good to get them out
16:40
there. I think that first game uh
16:42
especially in the environment we played
16:44
in um against a good team was you know
16:46
was challenging um but overall I thought
16:48
they held up well certainly not
16:50
perfectly and uh you know there's a lot
16:52
of room for improvement but you know I
16:54
thought they generally handled the
16:55
situation um you know pretty maturely
16:57
and competitively and so hopefully they
17:00
can build on that and you know continue
17:02
to gain some confidence and you know
17:04
realize that you know they're not in
17:05
over their head. they just got to
17:07
compete hard and if they do that I think
17:09
that you know they'll be all right but
17:10
it's definitely good to see them out
17:12
there. Um and as guys continue to you
17:15
know earn those roles in practice then
17:17
they'll they'll get more opportunities.
17:18
So um you know there may be a couple
17:21
guys like we saw last year that you know
17:23
didn't dress didn't [clears throat] play
17:25
and then after you know however much
17:27
time if they can earn that playing time
17:29
on the practice field then they'll
17:30
eventually get it in the game. So um
17:32
we'll see how all that plays out but
17:34
yeah it's good to see them out there.
17:35
We'll finish up standing in the back
17:37
coach.
17:46
>> Well, it it was a long trip. You know,
17:48
it was a long trip. Uh we didn't get
17:49
back until um you know, late Sunday
17:52
afternoon and and uh you know, Monday is
17:55
kind of recovery day and so uh it would
17:58
have been a lot to you know, to get
17:59
ready this week, but you know, we played
18:01
short weeks before, so it when they
18:04
schedule them, we play them. Um but you
18:06
know certainly it's good to have a
18:07
little bit extra time especially early
18:08
in the year to correct some of the
18:10
mistakes from TCU before we moved on so
18:13
quickly to you know ETSU. So um you know
18:16
overall it's you know look you take
18:18
advantage of whatever time you have. If
18:19
you have a long week then eventually
18:21
you're going to have a short week and
18:22
vice versa. So when you have the
18:24
opportunity to you know to do extra work
18:26
then you try to take advantage of it and
18:28
get the most out of it. So that's what
18:29
we did.
18:31
>> Great. All right.
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