Though the North Carolina Tar Heels are busy preparing to play in the Fenway Bowl on Saturday, December 28, they can breath a huge sigh of relief about their 2025 football roster.
Bryce Baker, UNC’s top-ranked Class of 2025 recruit and a prime candidate for starting quarterback next season, re-assured his commitment to North Carolina on Saturday.
Also on Saturday, Baker walked onto the Dean Dome court with the Tar Heels’ new head football coach, Bill Belichick.
Playing for Belichick, who won six Super Bowls as the New England Patriots‘ head coach, should be a player’s dream. Belichick is known for getting the best out of his players – and he now takes over a North Carolina program looking for consistency.
On Tuesday, December 17, Baker spoke highly of Belichick and his vision at UNC.
“He just explained how he was going to run it like an NFL place,” Baker said. “He knows there’s differences in college and the NFL, but he will have that next-level accountability he’s going to hold the team to.”
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Baker, who threw for a whopping 6,605 yards and 79 touchdowns at East Forsyth High School between 2023 and 2024 seasons, will compete with Max Johnson for the Tar Heels’ starting quarterback job in 2025.
Jacolby Criswell is out of eligibility and Conner Harrell is in the transfer portal, so Baker’s path to a starting job is that much clearer.
As legendary a coach Belichick is, the one knock against him is no college coaching experience. College football is becoming increasingly professional by the day, highlighted by how NIL money is tossed around, so I have full confidence in Belichick’s ability to lead North Carolina.
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