Patriots offer up advice to UNC players about playing for Bill Belichick
FOXBORO -- Bill Belichick is on to North Carolina, officially introduced as the new head coach of the Tar Heels on Thursday. His former Patriots players are happy to see that Belichick will be back to coaching in 2025, and believe he'll do well at the college level.
Belichick's move to the college game surprised a lot of people, as the 72-year-old spent nearly 50 years coaching in the NFL. His only experience has come at the pro level.
But on Friday, current Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo expressed confidence that Belichick will have success in his next venture.
"I'm happy for him. He's a good coach and he should be coaching," said Mayo. "I'm sure he'll do a good job there. Wish him nothing but the best."
With six Super Bowl rings as a head coach (plus two more as a coordinator), Belichick will bring plenty of clout to the NCAA. He may be new to that level, but he's shown for five decades that he's a great teacher of the gam. He really put an emphasis on player development in his introductory press conference on Thursday.
Players just have to be willing to take that teaching and apply it to the field. Just ask his former players in New England.
Patriots players offer advice to UNC players
Belichick always demands the best from his players, which doesn't make him the easiest coach to play for. But his former Patriots players believe the Tar Heels will embrace all that Belichick has to offer, and he will do a great job making them the best players they can be.
Just be ready for some tough love. A lot of tough love.
"I think he's going to do good," said receiver Kendrick Bourne, who played three seasons under Belichick in New England. "I think Bill does a good job of developing players, developing young men. I think it'll be a challenge for the young men. He's a tough coach, which we all know, but I think it'd be good for certain players that have the right mindset."
Offensive lineman Mike Onwenu, whom Belichick drafted in the sixth round in 2020, said he didn't expect to see Belichick end up in college, but added "it's pretty cool." He said it will be a great opportunity for college players to learn, as long as they soak up everything Belichick has to offer.
His advice to the Tar Heels?
"Take your notebook and bring a pen or a pencil. You're going to take a lot of notes," said Onwenu.
"Stay tough," Bourne offered up. "Have a gritty mindset because it's not going to be easy. But in the end it'll be worth it.
"Just don't miss class," Bourne added.
Receiver DeMario Douglas, another sixth-round find by Belichick, thinks UNC players will thrive under Belichick -- just as long as they have thick skin.
"Man, if Bill called me, I'd be excited. He is strict, but some people need that," Douglas told WBZ-TV's Dan Roche on Wednesday night's Patriots 1st Down. "Some people need that coach that is going to tell you the truth and be real with you.
"You know he's going to have you doing the right thing and he's going to lead you to the right way. You just have to have tough skin, that's it," added Douglas.
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