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Mack Brown says Bill Belichick has ‘no reason’ he shouldn’t be successful at UNC

Mack Brown didn’t leave North Carolina in the best shape when the program dismissed him as its head coach in November, going 6-6 in his final regular season with the team. However, he has high expectations for his successor, Bill Belichick.  In fact, the former UNC head coach seems to think that Belichick might have […]

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Mack Brown didn’t leave North Carolina in the best shape when the program dismissed him as its head coach in November, going 6-6 in his final regular season with the team. However, he has high expectations for his successor, Bill Belichick. 

In fact, the former UNC head coach seems to think that Belichick might have an easier job at succeeding in Chapel Hill than he did over the last couple of years. In an interview with SiriusXM College Sports Radio’s “Dusty and Danny In the Morning,” Brown shared that the school has loosened up the academic requirements and has made more investments into the football program ever since Belichick’s hiring in December.

“As far as North Carolina and Bill Belichick now, he’s arguably the best coach ever,” Brown said. “They’ve committed money to it. They’ve helped him with academics. They’ve lowered those standards some. So, there’s absolutely no reason they shouldn’t be successful … and they’ve changed the roster. I think they’ve signed maybe 60-something new transfers. 

“So, you’ve got a chance to succeed at the highest level, and I expect him to do that and I’m proud for him.”

There were rumors and reports at the time of Belichick’s hiring that UNC had promised to raise the name, image and likeness (NIL) budget for its football program in order to secure the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach. There was an expectation that the NIL for UNC would be upwards of $20 million, CBS Sports reported in December.

While NIL collectives aren’t publicly available, Belichick signed a five-year, $50 million contract to become UNC’s head coach. That’s twice as much as what Brown made by the time his tenure at UNC ended, as he had three years and $15 million remaining on his contract following the 2024 season, according to ESPN. 

So, UNC is making a richer investment with Belichick than it did with Brown, at least in terms of salary. But Brown continued to insist that UNC was behind other programs in terms of NIL money by the time his tenure ended, adding that the high academic standards made it difficult to recruit and retain players.

“North Carolina didn’t have NIL money and I said we were kind of a slow bleed,” Brown said Tuesday afternoon on the program. “We weren’t able to recruit the top kids like we were when we first got there. It was time for them and it was time for me, kind of like a divorce. Everybody was ready. It’s just who and how and how you split at the end. It was best for me to get out.”

“We always built programs on fit, and our last couple years there we were having to get parents with money, we were trying to get kids over a 3.0 because that’s who we could get. We signed 26 players at North Carolina our next-to-last year — high school players — and didn’t pay them a penny. So those kids, we even had Omarion Hampton, he got offered $1 million-plus to leave and he stayed for $300,000. I told him he should leave, because it was just crazy as you were looking at those things.”

UNC denies banning Bill Belichick’s girlfriend from facility, Is Belichick rebranding?

UNC denies banning Bill Belichick’s girlfriend from facility, Is Belichick rebranding?

Brown’s claim that UNC has loosened its academic standards for the football program also isn’t easily verifiable. However, Belichick had a lot more success landing talent in the transfer portal this offseason than Brown ever did. Belichick’s transfer portal class for the 2025 offseason ranked ninth on 247 Sports. Brown, meanwhile, never had a transfer class ranked higher than 30th, including a 58th-place ranking in 2024.

In terms of high school recruiting, Belichick helped UNC land the 36th-best recruiting class in 2025 while its 2026 recruiting class currently ranks 17th on 247 Sports. After landing three straight top-15 recruiting classes from 2020-22, Brown’s recruiting classes at UNC took a bit of a dip in the years of his tenure. It brought in the No. 31 recruiting class in 2023 and the No. 26 recruiting class in 2024, via 247 Sports.

Brown’s claim that UNC has loosened academic restrictions and made more investments in the football program for Belichick came as his successor has been dealing with some off-field drama. Belichick’s relationship with his girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, has become a national storyline in recent weeks, with some questioning her involvement in his life and UNC’s football program. After a report emerged earlier in May that Hudson was banned from UNC’s football facilities, the school denied that was the case. 

Belichick’s arrival to Chapel Hill has certainly brought more buzz to the football program than it has received in recent years. UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham recently told Axios that the team sold out its season tickets for the 2025 season despite a 25% increase, something it failed to accomplish last year.

The expectations for UNC don’t seem to be as high for the 2025 season, though. Its projected win total is 7.5 at DraftKings Sportsbook as of Wednesday. That’s just a slight increase from the number of games it won in 2024 and is lower than the number of games UNC won under Brown three times between 2020-23. 

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Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormak makes a big claim ahead of next football season

Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormak has been in the job since July of 2022. Since then, the Big 12 has been represented in every College Football Playoff. In Yormaks inagural year, it was TCU who shocked the world and made it to the National Championship before crashing out to Georgia in what was a dominant […]

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Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormak has been in the job since July of 2022. Since then, the Big 12 has been represented in every College Football Playoff. In Yormaks inagural year, it was TCU who shocked the world and made it to the National Championship before crashing out to Georgia in what was a dominant 65-7 Bulldog win.

The year after, Texas was heartbroken thanks to a 37-31 loss to eventual runner-ups Washington in the semifinal stage.

But, last year things were a little different. the 2024/25 season saw the expansion to the 12-team playoff bracket and big-hitters Texas and Oklahoma jumped ship to the SEC, as the Big 12 welcomed four new teams. The likes of Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah were each introduced.

Just one team from the Big 12 made the CFP, being Arizona State.

It would be harsh to say last season was a disappointment from the Big 12 standpoint. After all, having to deal with the massive blows of losing Texas and Oklahoma was patched with the Sun Devils compiling a six-game win streak that pushed Kenny Dillingham’s team to the playoff.

Yet Yormak expects for this season to be different.

According to Shehan Jeyarajah of CBS Sports, Yormak was quoted at the Big 12 Media Days saying, “No league offers the competitive balance that we do. … I fully expect the Big 12 to earn multiple College Football Playoff bids this year and to show once again that we can compete.”

When looking at the current layout of the Big 12, this is an ambitious claim. According to college football analyst Phil Steele, 11 teams were ranked inside the top 50, including the Jayhawks.

Those teams include Arizona State (15), Baylor (18), Utah, Texas Tech (25), TCU (26), Iowa State (28), Kansas State (30), Brigham Young University (42), Cincinnati (42), and Houston (46), before Kansas reached the 49th spot.

As of today, star BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff withdrew from the program after likely being faced with a seven-game suspension, after breaking the BYU honor code, taking away a possible dark horse for some college football playoff drama. Combine that with the massive overhaul of Texas Tech, which has seen the Red Raiders reel in 21 of the nation’s elite transfers and the world has yet to see thme fully mesh.

Dillingham’s Arizona State is, of course, going to top the Big 12 schools after their remarkable 11-3 season last Fall.

For the Jayhawks, opinions are mixed, quarterback Jalon Daniels appears to still have a little bit of a question mark over his head from fans regarding his ability when fully fit after spells of injury holding him back. That, along with the recent promotions of assistants to full-time coordinator positions, has its ups and downs. But, a strong transfer class ranked 7th in the Big 12 according to 247Sports does pose hope.

More Kansas Football News



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College Football is ripe for another Michigan/Notre Dame classic

Too much time has passed since the Wolverines and Fighting Irish have butted heads in one of the sport’s most iconic rivalries. The next scheduled meeting is not until 2033 in Ann Arbor and a year later in South Bend. In my opinion these two titans should be playing every year, excluding the college football […]

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Too much time has passed since the Wolverines and Fighting Irish have butted heads in one of the sport’s most iconic rivalries. The next scheduled meeting is not until 2033 in Ann Arbor and a year later in South Bend. In my opinion these two titans should be playing every year, excluding the college football playoff.

If and when they matchup it will be the first time that two African American coaches lead the way for both programs. Marcus Freeman and Sherrone Moore are riding high off of last season’s proverbial humps that they both mutually overcame. However in eight years from now one or both might be gone, with how things are humming inside their respective buildings.

2028 is the soonest that both have an opening on their schedules. Credit to Notre Dame which is not shying away from playing teams like Texas, Alabama and Florida during that stretch. So its argument of not wanting to play Michigan in the same time frame is somewhat valid.

If Notre Dame ever decided to join a conference the Big Ten makes more sense than the ACC and are a much better fit then the four Pac-12 members who debuted in 2024. Unfortunately since the Irish stayed independent this long, then they’ll never join a conference, unless the money is too rich to turn down.

A prime-time game between the two would do astronomical numbers wherever they play, like in 2011. The most likely scenario, though, is that they’ll square off in the playoffs before 2033. You would think that with the money alone, both universities would find a way to reach an agreement that satisfies all parties involved.

A Michigan/Notre Dame regular season clash makes college football better. The only thing that would top it would be a national championship encounter.



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How a Certain Longhorns’ Recruiting Strategy Further Proves ‘Texas is Back’

What is the biggest sign that the Texas Longhorns are once again one of the premier programs in college football? Beyond the two season 12+ win seasons, and back-to-back appearances in the College Football Playoff semifinal, it is their approach to handling NIL on the recruiting trail. As recently detailed in a report from OrangeBloods’ […]

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What is the biggest sign that the Texas Longhorns are once again one of the premier programs in college football? Beyond the two season 12+ win seasons, and back-to-back appearances in the College Football Playoff semifinal, it is their approach to handling NIL on the recruiting trail.

As recently detailed in a report from OrangeBloods’ Anwar Richardson, the 2026 recruiting cycle has seen head coach Steve Sarkisian and his coaching staff approach recruiting differently.

“Texas wants to have enough money to retain key players after this season, and overspending on unproven high school players is not an option,” Richardson writes, as shared on Twitter.

Even with the recent changes in college athletics, specifically in regards to NIL. Money is still an object in these recruitments, and it will be that way for the foreseeable future. That is, even though the House v. NCAA settlement ushered in a new era of college athletics, with the implementation of revenue sharing.

While the Longhorns do undoubtedly have just as many, if not more, resources than anybody in college football, when it comes to NIL, that doesn’t mean they are willing to shell out money carelessly. “Buying” as many top recruits as they can in the hope it nets a national championship.

Instead, the Longhorns are taking a more measured approach. It is one that the “powerhouse” programs like Alabama, Georgia, and even Ohio State have been doing in the years since NIL has been implemented, and essentially enabled a “pay for play” scheme.

With this strategy, the Longhorns will not shell out millions of dollars for a player unless they truly believe that player meets it in terms of their own valuation. It is the financial responsibility that will potentially allow the Longhorns to keep their national championship window open as long as possible.

Because even without an individual five-star in the classes ahead, they already boast one of the most talented rosters in college football. It is a roster that has seen them come within a few plays of playing for a national title.

And while the importance of strong high school recruiting hasn’t faded. Texas will continue to rely heavily on its ability to sign as talented a high school class as possible; they are more willing to pay for players who are proven products in the college game. Like those already on their roster, or those who are experiencing success elsewhere in college football that may enter the transfer portal.



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Wisconsin basketball knows its first opponent—Here’s who’s up first

The Wisconsin Badgers basketball season is slowly taking shape. The Badgers haven’t shied away from tough competition by adding BYU, Villanova, and a fun invitational that features Providence, TCU, and the national champions, the Florida Gators. Now we finally know who the first game and opponent will be, according to basketball insider Rocco Miller. The […]

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The Wisconsin Badgers basketball season is slowly taking shape. The Badgers haven’t shied away from tough competition by adding BYU, Villanova, and a fun invitational that features Providence, TCU, and the national champions, the Florida Gators. Now we finally know who the first game and opponent will be, according to basketball insider Rocco Miller.

The Wisconsin Badgers will square off against the Campbell Fighting Camels on November 3rd at the Kohl Center.

The Wisconsin Badgers vs. the Campbell Fighting Camels will kick off the 2025-2026 season

It was good for Greg Gard and Chris McIntosh to add in a ton of talented non-conference opponents to help the tournament chances and get the Badgers ready for Big Ten play. However, starting with a winnable game is important for a team that is over half rebuilt and has a 3/5ths of a new starting lineup.

The Badgers and the Fighting Camels have never played a game against each other, and this will mark the very first meeting of the two programs. The Fighting Camels had a very forgettable season last year, going 15-17 and ultimately replacing their head coach. The game against Wisconsin will also be the debut of new head coach John Andrzejek for Campbell.

The Badgers are hosting, providing an excellent chance for fans to see the rebuilt team in action, along with some fan favorites like John Blackwell, Jack Janicki, and Nolan Winter. This next season holds promise as the Badgers found a way into the round of 32 but lost in a disappointing game against BYU. There is renewed hope for next season.

The start of the season will be a good way to secure a win, and yet learn how this team works together and what roles each player will play on the team.

The official announcement hasn’t taken place, and so more details will follow, like game time and ticket information.





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Klassey on KMJ at 10:00 AM : NIL and Stadium Expansion

JoeFan13 said… (original post) Please everyone just stop with the “new stadium” talk, it ain’t gonna happen. VC needs major upgrade, yes, this is feasible and should result in a… show more The reason why a new stadium is being brought up, is that the cost will most likely be about $350 million. But that […]

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JoeFan13 said… (original post) Please everyone just stop with the “new stadium” talk, it ain’t gonna happen. VC needs major upgrade, yes, this is feasible and should result in a…

The reason why a new stadium is being brought up, is that the cost will most likely be about $350 million. But that a full renovation alone might cost $200-250 million plus.

A new stadium could be designed to allow better accommodations for outside events like concerts, tractor pulls, etc. Also building spaces and amenities to attract more premium customers, to get more revenue per person in those areas. The new stadium most likely will also include an attached football facility.

A renovation of the stadium will be cheaper, but at what cost. They may not find it feasible to put that much money into a facility that will then only be used 6 times per year. AD Klassy stated shade is a big issue that people have brought up. How can that be addressed at VCS? The overhangs in past renderings and plans, would barely cover a few rows and simply be a waste of money. The tunnels were thought and then eliminated in the “Elevate” plan. So people would still complain about walking up and heading down the stairs.

The thing is, Bulldog Stadium has tradition and memories for most fans of Fresno State, but it still was built in the late 70’s. Not like is was built in the 20-30’s.

Basically need to work on the best ROI, be it a reno or new. Work the numbers and see what looks better, not only a few years down the line, but 30-50 years down the road.



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Five-star TE Kaiden Prothro commits to Georgia over Florida, Texas

Eli LedermanJul 12, 2025, 04:59 PM ET Close Eli Lederman covers college football and recruiting for ESPN.com. He joined ESPN in 2024 after covering the University of Oklahoma for Sellout Crowd and the Tulsa World. Georgia beat Florida and Texas to its second five-star pledge in the 2026 class on Saturday with a commitment from […]

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Georgia beat Florida and Texas to its second five-star pledge in the 2026 class on Saturday with a commitment from tight end Kaiden Prothro, the No. 19 overall prospect in the 2026 ESPN 300.

Prothro, a 6-foot-7, 210-pound recruit from Bowdon, Georgia, is ESPN’s No. 2 overall tight end and viewed as one of the top pass catchers at any position in the current class. A priority in-state target for coach Kirby Smart, Prothro took official visits to Auburn, Alabama, Georgia, Florida and Texas before narrowing his recruitment to the Bulldogs, Gators and Longhorns last month.

He announced his commitment to Georgia in a ceremony at Bowdon High School, where Prothro has hauled in 89 passes for 2,034 yards and 35 touchdowns over the past two seasons.

Prothro arrives as the Bulldogs’ 17th ESPN 300 pledge in an incoming recruiting class that sits at No. 2 in ESPN’s latest class rankings for the cycle, joining quarterback Jared Curtis (No. 6 overall) as the program’s second five-star commit in 2026. He now stands as the top-ranked member of a growing Georgia pass-catcher class that also includes four-star wide receivers Brady Marchese (No. 62) and Ryan Mosley (No. 120) and three-star Craig Dandridge.

The Bulldogs, who produced six NFL draft picks at tight ends from 2019-24, have forged a reputation for developing top tight end talent under Smart and assistant coach Todd Hartley. Georgia signed ESPN’s top two tight end prospects — Elyiss Williams and Ethan Barbour — in the 2025 class, and Prothro now follows four-stars Brayden Fogle (No. 142 overall) and Lincoln Keyes (No. 238) as the program’s third tight end pledge in 2026.

Those arrivals, along with eligibility beyond 2025 for current Georgia tight ends Lawson Luckie and Jaden Reddell, could make for a crowded tight end room when Prothro steps on campus next year.

However, Prothro is expected to distinguish himself at the college level as a versatile downfield option capable of creating mismatches with a unique blend of size, speed and physicality in the mold of former two-time All-America Georgia tight end Brock Bowers. His father Clarence told ESPN that Georgia intends to utilize Prothro across roles, including flex tight end and jumbo receiver, and said scheme fit was a key driving factor in his son’s decision.

A three-time state football champion, Prothro caught 33 passes for 831 yards and 13 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2023. He eclipsed 1,200-yards in his junior campaign last fall, closing 2024 with 56 receptions (21.4 yards per catch) and 22 receiving touchdowns en route to a 13-2 finish and a third consecutive state championship. Prothro is also an All-Region baseball player and was credited with 20.7 points and 16.5 rebounds per game in his junior basketball season.



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