The North Carolina football team has struggled under first-year head coach Bill Belichick. The Tar Heels are off to a 2-3 start while having been largely uncompetitive against Power 4 competition.
The slow start combined with off the field drama has many wondering if the marriage should come to an end after just one season. Speculation surrounding the coach’s buyout is now swirling, and recent rule breaking in Chapel Hill might make the decision easier for UNC.
Belichick arrived this past offseason following a Hall of Fame run in the NFL. He’s found that coaching at the college level is much different.
He was forced to rebuild the roster immediately, bringing in upwards of 70 new players alongside a new staff. The mass influx of new talent has reportedly resulted in a major strife.
Bill Belichick has no control.
Pat Welter of WRAL spoke of a chaotic locker room under new leadership. The staff is supposedly playing favorites, providing preferential treatment to those with stronger ties to Belichick.
Star transfers are not being held accountable for missing workouts. They are being rewarded with extra benefits, such as sideline passes for family members and higher NIL payouts.
Welter paints a picture of complete disarray within the team. He also hinted at potential NCAA rule breaking.
The reporter says that players are selling their spare tickets for profit.
According to sources, another example of a lack of unity is that some players are selling their spare tickets for cash instead of sharing with other players and their families like UNC has done in the past.
Welter allegedly obtained a note from the North Carolina compliance office to players that read, “This is a friendly reminder that you are NOT to sell or exchange your complimentary tickets for any item of value. You may give the tickets to anyone you choose without receiving anything in return. Although some NCAA rules have recently changed, this rule has not. Selling your tickets or receiving an extra benefit still impacts your eligibility to compete in intercollegiate athletics.”
NCAA rule states that student-athletes are provided four complimentary tickets regular season games, and six for postseason contests. Student-athletes CANNOT receive payment from any source in exchange for the complimentary tickets.
This supposed warning comes in the wake of a suspension for assistant coach Armond Hawkins, who provided impermissible benefits to a player in the form of sideline access for family members.
Can North Carolina fire its football coach for cause?
That question is now being asked as Bill Belichick’s future in Chapel Hill grows uncertain. The Tar Heels are 0-3 against P4 opponents, having been outscored 120-33.
Belichick’s seat grew warmer following a 38-10 loss to Clemson.
On-field production alone isn’t the issue. The school would have no issue using patience with the future Hall of Famer amid a tumultuous start.
Unfortunately, Belichick’s off the field actions and relationships have turned a proud university into college football’s laughingstock.
His girlfriend (fiancé?) made negative waves in the offseason with her excessive involvement in the program and her demands to control storylines surrounding the head coach.
Will North Carolina fire Bill Belichick? It seemed unlikely given his $20 million buyout. It might be a greater possibility should the school be off the hook for that payment.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk suggested that Armond Hawkins’ suspension could warrant a “for cause” firing.
[Bruce] Feldman doesn’t mention whether and to what extent Belichick knew about the extra benefits. It’s an allegation that lands in the general neighborhood of the kind of thing that could potentially lay the foundation for a termination of Belichick’s contract for cause — especially if the basis for the suspension wasn’t an isolated occurrence.
It’s also worth noting that rival North Carolina State was harshly punished in the 1980s for similar ticket-selling infractions that eventually led to head coach Jim Valvano’s resignation.
The alleged ticket selling by North Carolina football players to this point is still hearsay. If true, when combined with the lack of institutional control surrounding Armond Hawkins’ impermissible benefits, the Tar Heels might just have an avenue of firing Bill Belichick without paying the $20 million buyout.
The post North Carolina Football’s Bad Behavior Could Cost Bill Belichick $20M As Buyout Speculation Swirls appeared first on BroBible.
North Carolina Football’s Bad Behavior Could Cost Bill Belichick $20M As Buyout Speculation Swirls
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