Tag: UNC Tar Heels

North Carolina Tar Heels lose fifth game with late-game collapse against Florida

The North Carolina Tar Heels lost again on Tuesday night, a 90-84 game against the Florida Gators that dropped UNC to 6-5.

The North Carolina Tar Heels dropped their fifth game of the 2024-25 season on Tuesday night when they blew a late lead against the Florida Gators.

The undefeated Gators trailed by four points with four minutes left on the clock, but Florida outscored UNC 13-3 over the final stretch to secure an eleventh straight win.

North Carolina, in desperate need of a statement victory after its slow start, went 5/28 (17.9%) from behind the arc for another inefficient performance. RJ Davis, the preseason ACC Player of the Year, put up 29 points after he went 10/19 (52.6%) from the floor, but he made just three of his 11 3-point tries.

UNC’s other four starters went a combined one-for-nine from distance, and the Gators outrebounded the Tar Heels 46-36 to take advantage.

North Carolina has only played one conference game thus far, a 68-65 home win over Georgia Tech last weekend, so it isn’t out of the ACC race yet. However, the early returns look concerning for a Tar Heels team that wanted to battle Duke for the conference crown.

Hubert Davis praises the “level of play” in practices leading up to Florida showdown

Hubert Davis had high praise for the UNC basketball practices ahead of another tough matchup.

The Tar Heels head to Charlotte on Tuesday with a 6-4 record overall and a 1-4 record against teams currently ranked inside of the AP Top 25.

Mediocrity has been the sentiment of the ball team throughout the better part of the first month and a half of the season. In only two wins this season (American and La Salle), the team looked overly confident.

In all the other games, they dropped to double-digit deficits early and either climbed back out to secure a win or failed to every comeback. However, is that changing?

Hubert Davis told 247 Sports that UNC basketball has stepped up their game in the practices leading up to their Jumpman Invitational showdown with top-10-ranked Florida.

There were some good things that we can build on, that we emphasized and we talked about over the last two days of practice. And honestly, the last two days of practice have been the best practices all year. For the first time all year, I went home and I was like, ‘Wow, we’re getting better, we’re improving.’ … I’ve talked to you guys about getting to that level and staying at that level, and I felt like the last two days of practice, we started and we stayed there. And so we’ll see if we can translate that to tomorrow night against Florida.

We will see if that level of play transpires on the court in front of the nation. The Tar Heels match up with Florida at 7:00 p.m. ET at the Spectrum Center on Tuesday night, airing on ESPN.

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Bill Belichick discuss the difference UNC’s popularity, between NFL free agency vs NCAA transfer portal

Does free agency in the NFL really differ from the NCAA’s transfer portal?

North Carolina made a hire for its head coaching vacancy that shattered college football bringing in former Super Bowl-winning head coach Bill Belichick to Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

The coach who spent decades at the professional level dealing with free agency innumerable times has come out with a bold statement to On3 on the direction of college football, the likenesses to the NFL’s free agency, and just how popular he has been amongst those currently in the portal.

Quite honestly, a lot of players and agents are coming to us, saying, ‘We want to be a part of the program. Is there a spot for us? Will you take this player or that player?’ And so forth. A lot of the agents are also representing players in the Transfer Portal that we’ve dealt with in the National Football League. So, a lot of those relationships now carry over into college football.

Belichick and, subsequently, North Carolina now have the one-up as the transfer portal is heavily underway. The Tar Heels have already made their first mark with Holy Cross offensive lineman Christo Kelly.

Many more have already made plans to visit Belichick and North Carolina before they make their decisions. Some, including Connor Cox, canceled visits to other schools in order to make room for UNC football.

The hype is real surrounding Kenan Stadium and Chapel Hill, and it sounds like more players every day are trying to get on board. How far can Bill Belichick take this team?

Keep track of transfer portal news and targets here.

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UNC football, Bill Belichick expected to hire UCF assistant AD

Bill Belichick is expected to expand his already hired staff to include this director of player personnel.

A week ago, North Carolina and its administration announced a monumental hiring for the head coaching vacancy in their football program. Since the arrival of Bill Belichick, he has decided to keep Fred Kitchens as well as bring on Mike Lombardo as the program’s general manager.

Earlier this week, it was rumored that Belichick intended to bring on current Las Vegas Raiders offensive coordinator, Scott Turner, to be his offensive coordinator at Chapel Hill.

Now, another rumor has broken loss that Belichick is intending to hired Central Florida assistant athletic director Andrew Blaylock to serve as his director of player personnel at North Carolina.

We discussed last week the salary allowances that Belichick received from UNC for his hiring of assistant coaches and football staff.

According to UCF’s website, “Blaylock joined the UCF football staff in June 2022 as special assistant to head coach Gus Malzahn.

Blaylock spent the previous six years at Appalachian State as director of player personnel, overseeing the recruiting department for the Mountaineers’ football program. He also worked at Louisville (2011-14) and Texas State (2015) in recruiting and player personnel.”

Blaylock hasn’t spent all his time behind the scenes though. He was once a dynamic player himself. He played at the University of Florida in college and dominated in high school at Durham Jordan High School, where he holds numerous all-time records.

Bill Belichick is looking to bring Blaylock back home to North Carolina.

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Former three-star TE cancels visit with NC State to visit with UNC football

UNC football continues to make waves in the transfer portal as this TE cancels visit with rival to make room for Bill Belichick.

North Carolina continues to receive good news on the recruiting and transfer portal. This speaks to the dynamic impact the name of Bill Belichick can bring. Even if it doesn’t spark immediate five-star recruits, it still gives cause for pause from some of the top athletes around the country.

Currently, a former three-star commit to South Carolina has put his name into the transfer portal after not receiving playing time under Shane Beamer.

Connor Cox scheduled visits to the schools he was interested in, which did not include North Carolina, but it did include in-state rival NC State.

Since the announcement of Bill Belichick as head coach, Cox has canceled his visit with Dave Doeren and the Wolfpack in favor of one with the Tar Heels.

Cox spent two seasons in South Carolina, where he recorded just nine total games of action across two seasons. He was held without a catch in his freshman year and caught just one pass for nine yards and his first career touchdown last season.

Coming out of high school, 247 Sports’ Andrew Ivins had this to say about the tight end from Bolles.

At first glance appears to be more of a flex or move option, but tape suggests that he can be a full-time, in-line player at the Power Five level if given a chance to develop as he’s a spirited blocker that seeks out work.

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Former Army running back to visit UNC football on Saturday

With Omarion Hampton gone, could this Army running back be the next All-American in Carolina blue?

On the heels of All-American running back Omarion Hampton declaring for the NFL Draft this weekend, Bill Belichick and the Tar Heels have an upcoming visit with one of the top running backs in the transfer portal.

Army running back Kanye Udoh is set to make his visit to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, on Saturday following a long list of visits this week.

Udoh finished this season with Army with 1,117 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. He was the No. 26 leading rusher in the nation and the No. 2 on his team behind Army quarterback Bryson Daily.

Daily ate up 283 carries, while Udoh secured just 179. He averaged 6.2 yards per carry, which, at the level of Daily, would have been 1,754 yards. That would rank No. 2 in the nation behind Ashton Jeanty and in front of Hampton.

As only a sophomore, Udoh has two years of eligibility left and could fast-track his way to an NFL Draft spot under new head coach Bill Belichick.

Udoh is also set to visit Missouri on Wednesday, SMU on Thursday, and Arizona State on Friday.

That is some tough competition that Belichick is under as Arizona State is in the College Football Playoffs and Missouri just grabbed a four-star wide receiver recruit in the portal, Kevin Coleman Jr.

However, UNC football has something none of them have, a coach with connections, resources, and knowledge so deep in the NFL that many are calling him a “pipeline to the NFL.”

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UNC football RB Omarion Hampton declares for the 2025 NFL Draft

Omarion Hampton turns his eyes towards the future, thanks North Carolina.

The star-studded All-American running back Omarion Hampton will make the NFL his reality this offseason. The junior running back will forego his senior season, despite the team hiring NFL star Bill Belichick as head coach, and go to the NFL Draft.

Hampton is projected as the No. 2 running back in the draft behind Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty.

Omarion Hampton had this to say as he reminisced on his time in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

I want to start by thanking my coaches, both past and present, for helping shape me into the man and player I am today. Your constant love and support has meant everything to me.

To the fans: You took a kid from Clayton, NC, and made him your own. There is nothing like gameday in Chapel Hill. We have the best fans in the world.

To my brothers in the locker room: We came in as teammates and left as family. You all mean the world to me. Going to battle with you every Saturday has been the biggest honor of my life.

Lastly, to my family: You guys mean the world to me. I am forever indebted to you for the sacrifices you have made for me and I love you so much. Everything I do, I do for you.

Omarion Hampton finished his time as Tar Heel with 3,565 yards and 36 touchdowns on the ground along with another 635 yards on 76 receptions through the air.

Hampton holds the record for most consecutive games with over 100 yards rushing in UNC history and is just the third player in university history with three 200+ yard games. He also finishes in the top five all-time on UNC’s rushing list.

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PHOTO: Tar Heels roll past La Salle at home

If you missed the game, here is a photo recap of UNC basketball’s dominant performance vs La Salle.

In need of a big win before going back on the road this week to take on another top-10-ranked team, North Carolina took the court at home against La Salle, an Atlantic 10 Conference team.

For just the second time this season, the Tar Heels looked fully in control and dominant of the entire game from start to finish.

They took a 17-point lead into the halftime break and won the second half by nine and putting a break on the jets.

Belmont transfer Cade Tyson finished with a season-high 23 points on five threes. RJ Davis had 13 points despite shooting 4-for-11 from the floor and 2-for-6 from deep. Seth Trimble and Ven Allen Lubin both finished with 10 points.

Here is a photo recap of the Tar Heels victory over La Salle.

Belichick decides to stay apart of ManningCast, McAfee despite UNC head coaching job

You will continue to see the new UNC head coach, Bill Belichick, on ManningCast going forward.

Before accepting the position to coach the UNC football team, Bill Belichick had made regular appearances becoming a staple on the ManningCast and Pat McAfee shows.

After his acceptance as the new head coach of the team, many thought that Belichick would leave his entertainment self behind. However, that is not the case as Belichick has decided to continue all previous avenues of media.

Mike McDaniel from KTSM had this to say about Belichick’s decision.

For Belichick, this is a breakaway from the norm. When he coached in the NFL, he did not hold weekly national television spots like he will as North Carolina’s head coach. But it’s a very different ball game in college football, and Belichick is embracing it. The continued weekly television appearances will spotlight North Carolina football and will certainly be used as a recruiting tool.

This is exactly the sentiment that I came away with. Belichick will be able to use this national spotlight and platform to not only hype up and promote UNC football but to also recruit players from a much younger generation than his or the one he is used to.

Many people doubted how well Belichick would do on the recruiting trail. However, it has things, intangible attributes that other coaches don’t. He is a six-time Super Bowl-winning coach, widely known as the greatest of all time, and he has the platform to make national statements that people follow.

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UNC basketball ranked on CBS Sports Top 25 and 1

The Tar Heels might not be in the AP Top 25, but they haven’t fallen out of everyone’s Top 25.

North Carolina has been in the new tremendously over the last week, but despite it being basketball season, had nothing to do with the basketball team and everything to do with football hiring Bill Belichick.

It almost overshadowed in Tar Heels fans the fact that UNC basketball dropped out of the current AP Top 25 rankings at the beginning of the week.

However, despite dropping out of those rankings, CBS Sports latest rendition of its “Top 25 and 1” continues to have North Carolina as a top-25 ranked team. Specifically, they are the No. 19 ranked team in the list.

In their quick recap of UNC’s latest, Parrish wrote this about North Carolina.

Seth Trimble finished with 19 points and seven rebounds in Saturday’s 68-65 win over Georgia Tech. The Tar Heels’ next game is Saturday against La Salle.

The Tar Heels are sandwiched between No. 18 Illinois and No. 20 Dayton, a team that they beat in the first round of the Maui Invitational last month.

Tennessee continues to be on top of the rankings followed by Auburn, Iowa State, Marquette, and Kentucky to round of the top five.

North Carolina will take on La Salle at 4:00 p.m. on December 14th in their next game. You can find that airing on the CW Network.

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