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#UNC coach Bill Belichick press conference after win at Syracuse
Nov 1, 2025
#UNC coach Bill Belichick press conference after win at Syracuse
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0:00
coach.
0:01
Um yeah, thanks Brandon. Um you know,
0:04
good team win tonight. Uh really have a
0:06
lot of respect for the way these guys
0:07
have have fought uh all year long, but
0:10
especially you know, after a couple
0:11
tough losses. Um you know, come up here
0:13
and um you know, things didn't go great
0:17
at the beginning of the game, but then
0:18
they just kept battling and um you know,
0:20
had a really good second half. Um
0:22
defensively, you know, we played well.
0:24
Uh gave up three points. Um it's good
0:27
team effort all the way around. Um,
0:28
offensively,
0:30
um, as I said, got off to a little bit
0:32
of a slow start, but, um, second half
0:34
was was, uh, good. I thought our
0:36
conditioning helped us. Uh, we ran the
0:38
ball when, you know, when everybody knew
0:41
we were going to run it, that was good.
0:42
I thought our offensive line did a nice
0:44
job, but our backs really, um, were
0:46
outstanding. They made a lot of yards
0:47
and the ball in their hands after they
0:49
caught it or after the first guy hit him
0:51
on the tackle. So, um, you know, that
0:54
was that was really good. Um, you know,
0:56
just happy for the team success. These
0:58
guys have worked hard. They earned it
1:00
and um, you know, we emptied out the
1:03
tank tonight and go back and fill it up
1:05
this week and, you know, get ready for
1:06
Stanford.
1:07
Far left coach.
1:08
Yeah.
1:09
Coach, the way the last two games went
1:11
coming into this one, the way you guys
1:13
lost sort of game, this kind of thing,
1:15
and then in the first half today, you
1:16
get fourth in inches and there's a ball
1:19
start, you have to get a field goal,
1:20
then there's a scoop in six. Where does
1:22
the resilience come from in this team to
1:23
not buckle? There's a lot of teams that
1:25
would be a lot of weight that they might
1:26
crumble under, but this one didn't.
1:29
Yeah. Well, you know, when you put a lot
1:30
into it, it's hard to, you know, it's
1:32
hard to surrender. Say, you know, these
1:34
guys have been working hard and they
1:35
just kept battling.
1:37
On your right, coach,
1:38
if I can ask a quick followup.
1:41
Go ahead. Go ahead. We'll go back to uh
1:43
Phil, I wanted to ask, you obviously
1:45
mentioned the running game. Uh Dean in
1:46
particular had the two touchdowns in the
1:48
third quarter, gave you guys a lead and
1:49
kind of kept you in control of the game.
1:51
How much of a spark did he kind of, you
1:53
know, provide for you guys uh in that
1:55
game?
1:56
Yeah, I mean it, you know, it's great,
1:57
you know, when um, you know, when you
1:59
see guys, uh, do what he did, you know,
2:01
down the sideline, you know, he's stiff
2:03
armed and, you know, got about another
2:04
30 or 40 yards on the touchdown run. Um,
2:07
you know, did a real good job of, you
2:08
know, finishing the the the touchdown uh
2:11
on the on the toss play, getting his
2:13
pads down and run through the goal line
2:14
and all that. just uh you know you you
2:17
see guys make plays with with the ball
2:18
in their hands and and are hard to
2:20
tackle and you know it gets everybody
2:22
fired up. So but I thought all our backs
2:24
did it. You know they ran hard. They ran
2:26
a good pad level and once again the
2:28
backs ran at good ball security. You
2:29
know our turnovers haven't come from the
2:31
running backs. They come from other
2:32
positions. So
2:34
far right coach
2:36
Bill I I can only imagine that as you
2:38
guys were preparing and game planning
2:40
this week. you weren't preparing for a
2:42
freshman walk who also plays lacrosse at
2:44
quarterback.
2:45
That's right.
2:46
Um, you know, like how did you sort of
2:48
try to navigate that when you found out
2:49
he was going to be the starter as
2:51
opposed to maybe Collins or another guy
2:53
and like
2:54
do you change something at that point or
2:56
you just sort of stick to what you've
2:58
you've been drilling the last couple
3:00
days?
3:01
Um, yeah. Well, I'd say we basically
3:02
stuck to it, but um, you know, you have
3:04
to be aware who that player uh is or or
3:07
was. And um that definitely caught us a
3:09
little bit by surprise, but I know from
3:11
experience, you can't it's a short week.
3:13
You can't change your whole offense in a
3:15
week. And so you you do what you can do
3:17
for the quarterback, but the other 10
3:18
guys, you try to, you know, stay
3:20
consistent with them. And, you know, I
3:22
know they were going through some uh
3:24
changes on the offensive line, you know,
3:25
with Washington at guard and then Cruz
3:27
at center. Uh so there's a little bit
3:29
of, you know, some moving parts there
3:32
and and a new center with a new
3:34
quarterback. So, you know, that's tough,
3:36
man. I know coach Brown, you know, I'm
3:38
sure that was, you know, something he
3:41
had to deal with this week and that was
3:42
a challenge. But, um, you know, I think
3:44
once the game got going, we just tried
3:46
to, you know, play, you know, play our
3:48
coverages and and try not to let the
3:50
quarterback beat us with his legs and,
3:52
you know, he got out a couple there a
3:53
couple times, but, you know, overall,
3:55
we, you know, we did a decent job on it.
3:57
And maybe was maybe a key there not
3:59
letting him the quarterback get in an
4:01
early rhythm, maybe get some confidence
4:03
and turn it into a Disney movie type
4:06
situation, you know, like was that key
4:07
key to keep him I think he was 0 for
4:09
eight, you know, starting. Like was that
4:11
sort of key to keep him
4:12
settling in? I think the big thing was
4:14
really the running game. I mean, when
4:16
you take away the running game, then it
4:18
just makes it a lot harder. If you can't
4:20
take away running game, then passing
4:21
game becomes a lot easier and and um you
4:25
know, the coverage isn't as good and the
4:26
quarterbacks are more comfortable and
4:27
they're not under pressure. Um being
4:29
able to stop the running game, then
4:30
eventually play with the lead. You know,
4:32
those things helped us a lot in the
4:33
second half.
4:36
Stanic, Associated Press, just wondering
4:38
if you had any special feelings for your
4:40
uh first ACC win.
4:42
Yeah, feels good. It feels great. So,
4:44
yeah,
4:45
it's good. Yeah, we we had a couple
4:48
opportunities the last couple weeks that
4:49
we weren't able to capitalize. It feels
4:52
good to get this one. So, we look
4:54
forward to, you know, all the rest of
4:55
the games we play in the ACC.
4:56
Thank you.
4:57
Far left coach,
4:59
you lost Chad at one point and Austin
5:02
side to center. Got a couple of
5:03
inexperienced players, John Jordan and
5:06
Miles at tackle. How would you assess
5:07
how they played tonight and how have
5:09
they been growing recently to get to the
5:11
point where they can play the kind of
5:12
reps they did tonight? Yeah, Jordan in
5:14
particular has done a really good job
5:16
for us. Um he's uh continued to improve
5:18
in practice and uh we gave him some
5:20
playing time early in the game and then
5:22
uh you know, unfortunately when Chad
5:23
went out uh Austin went to center which
5:26
uh he's been practicing as our backup
5:28
center. So we kind of um were ready for
5:31
that move. Um obviously didn't want it
5:33
to happen, but when you know when Chad
5:36
wasn't able to go back then then Austin
5:38
went in for him and and Ostein stayed a
5:40
guard. So, uh, and then Miles has been
5:42
getting some snaps on the right side. U,
5:44
so, um, you know, we're fortunate that
5:46
that we have that kind of depth and guys
5:48
are able to step in there and play well,
5:49
but you know, Blask is a a natural
5:51
center, so I don't think that was a a
5:53
big as big an adjustment for him as it
5:55
might be for somebody else. He handled
5:57
it well.
5:58
Matt, right?
5:59
Um, the second half production is a big
6:01
struggle for his offense. You mentioned
6:03
the conditioning. Obviously, Dean had a
6:05
big second half, but what else changed?
6:08
plays for the offensive game.
6:11
It was really just better execution. Uh
6:13
it wasn't like we had a whole bunch of
6:14
new plays or anything. You know, we just
6:17
I think executed a little bit better and
6:19
again our our backs made some some good
6:21
runs. We got some a few holes open and
6:23
then the backs made yards on the run and
6:25
they ran hard and you know three yards
6:27
became seven and you know those things
6:29
added pretty quickly. We skipped a lot
6:31
of third downs. We were able to get some
6:32
first downs on first and second downs.
6:34
So, we weren't in a lot of third down
6:35
situations like we were in the first
6:36
half and that was that was helpful too.
6:39
Two right here in the front.
6:41
Coach, did you prepare at all for Joseph
6:42
Fari? Was he on your scouting report at
6:44
all this week?
6:45
Uh, barely. Yeah, it was a little bit of
6:48
a scramble uh before the game, but um
6:52
you know, it is what it is.
6:53
How'd you kind of go about learning his
6:55
play style beforehand?
6:57
Well, again, it you can't you can't
6:59
change a whole offense in, you know, six
7:01
days. So, um, again, a lot of things
7:04
they did, they've done. I just had a
7:06
different guy doing it and, you know,
7:07
he's very athletic and, you know, had
7:09
some running ability that we were a
7:10
little more conscious of, but, um, in
7:12
the end, you know, it's still their
7:14
offense.
7:14
And how'd you find out he was starting?
7:17
Uh, we have our sources to the left.
7:20
Coach Thomas Christopher, the league
7:21
winners. Uh, it's kind of a two-part
7:22
question. I was curious if, uh, who's
7:24
responsible for setting the protections,
7:26
whether it's Gino or the center or if
7:28
that's a combination of the two. And
7:29
then in the second half, what were the
7:31
adjustments size? Cuz it seemed like you
7:32
guys started to move the pocket a little
7:34
bit to kind of create more time for uh
7:36
Gio.
7:37
Yeah, they pressured us a lot in the
7:38
first half. We probably got pressure on
7:40
75% of the plays. Um with either
7:43
linebacker pressure or perimeter
7:45
pressure a couple times both. Um and you
7:48
know, and that that caused some negative
7:49
plays. There's no gains and you know,
7:51
got us into third down and and we
7:53
weren't able to convert on third down.
7:55
Yeah, the protections are always a
7:56
combination of the quarterback and and
7:58
the offensive line. Everybody needs to
7:59
be on the same page. So, the quarterback
8:00
needs to know who's not blocked. Uh so
8:03
that if that if that person rushes that
8:05
that we have a way to uh beat him with
8:07
the throw and and uh the offensive line.
8:11
Again, they did a good job of uh moving
8:13
tumble and and their defensive ends at
8:15
times off the ball. They had that third
8:17
down package. Um, and so Buckston didn't
8:20
play today, so they had, uh, a different
8:23
look with, you know, with the
8:24
linebackers on the end of the line and
8:26
play tremble off the ball more than,
8:28
well, they had done that, but there was
8:30
some different looks there. And, um,
8:32
yeah, that that certainly, especially on
8:34
the road with the crowd noise is is a
8:35
challenge for the offensive line. So,
8:38
um, yeah, did give us some trouble in
8:39
the first half. Absolutely. They ran a
8:41
couple threeman games that we, you know,
8:43
that they got pressure on. I don't think
8:44
they sacked Desan, but they were, you
8:46
know, right on top of the quarterback
8:47
and u, you know, made him get rid of the
8:49
ball. So, you know, they do a good job.
8:51
Coach Brown, uh, it's a good job with
8:52
that package and similar what we use, be
8:55
honest with you, on third down and it
8:56
was, um, you know, I think it was
8:58
effective in the first half. I mean,
8:59
what were we one for seven on third down
9:01
or whatever it was. So, they did a good
9:03
job with it.
9:04
Two more back left here and then we'll
9:06
finish up on the far right.
9:07
Frank Brown had a pretty untraditional
9:09
start to getting to this program. What
9:11
are your thoughts on on France and what
9:13
he's done with this program?
9:15
Yeah, I mean I think France done a great
9:17
job. I mean last year you can't do much
9:19
better than do last year set every
9:21
almost every school record offensively.
9:23
Um you know had a great season and then
9:26
um you know was turnover like there
9:28
always is and um you know had a great
9:31
win against Clemson. I mean, really, you
9:32
know, dominated that game and, you know,
9:34
you're a starting quarterback and it
9:36
deals with some other injuries on both
9:37
sides of the ball and, you know, it's
9:39
things turn around quickly and, you
9:41
know, we all know and in in in football,
9:45
it's it's not who you play, it's when
9:46
you play them and um, you know, we're
9:49
probably fortunate to get them, you
9:51
know, as opposed to the week they they
9:53
played Clemson. You know, maybe they're
9:55
fortunate, you know, they played us that
9:57
week, too. You know, we weren't so good.
9:59
So, um, but you know, it's just one of
10:01
those things. I think he's a good coach,
10:03
done a good job. He recruits well. Uh,
10:05
team plays hard. They played, you know,
10:06
they have a good scheme. They certainly
10:07
gave us a lot of problems in the first
10:09
half with their defensive scheme. And,
10:10
uh, as I said offensively last year, I
10:13
mean, I don't know how you could break
10:14
any more records than they broke in one
10:16
season. I mean, broke two two dozen
10:18
records. I don't know. I lost track. It
10:20
was a lot.
10:21
Last one on the far right here. Bill,
10:23
going back to De Manu, um I mean for a
10:26
guy who was in high school at this time
10:27
last year, uh I mean the maybe the power
10:31
that he runs with the balance like is
10:33
there anybody he reminds you of uh with
10:36
his combination of of the different
10:38
skills?
10:40
I mean, look, he's had some good games
10:41
and and he's a good back. At least I'll
10:43
get carried away now.
10:44
Okay. I mean, I'm not talking about Jim
10:46
Brown or Ernie Davis or I'm
10:49
just curious. Maybe not. That's
10:50
I don't think we're quite in that league
10:52
yet. It's a little too early to to, you
10:54
know, get the bust ready for, you know,
10:56
the Hall of Fame, but he works hard. He
10:58
does a good job. He's getting better.
11:00
Um, we'll see where it goes. You know,
11:02
glad we have him, and he's certainly
11:04
taking advantage of his playtime reps
11:06
both on in the running game and the
11:08
passing game. Um, you know, he needs to
11:11
improve his blitz pickup. He needs to,
11:13
you know, refine some other skills, but
11:14
he's certainly getting there and and
11:16
he's been a big plus for us. So, um,
11:18
glad we have him. Love Guju, but I think
11:21
Pumper breaks a little bit on the
11:24
Fair enough on on the Hall of Fame uh
11:26
nominations.
11:28
Thanks everybody.
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