Now months into Bill Belichick’s hiring, the coaching staff is vague but taking shape. All we know for certain is that Mike Lombardi is the team’s general manager and Belichick is the team’s head coach.
Belichick has also hired his son Stephen Belichick and Matt Lombardi and is retaining Freddie Kitchens, though none of their positions have been finalized on the upcoming coaching staff.
Now, Belichick is adding a proposed special team specialist in Billy Miller, per Inside Carolina:
Billy Miller is being targeted by North Carolina to leave his position as the IMG Academy head coach in order to join Bill Belichick’s new staff, multiple sources told Inside Carolina and 247Sports‘ Matt Zenitz, and UNC expects him to take the position. The specific role has not been officially solidified, but Miller’s coaching history reveals an expertise in special teams.
Currently, Miller is serving as IMG Academy’s head coach, a place that Belichick has been to and talked fondly of since his hiring at UNC.
Because of his time at IMG, Miller will almost certainly be used in a recruiting aspect as well. Some of the best NFL and college talent has come through IMG Academy, including JC Latham, who went to Alabama and it now with the Los Angeles Chargers, and JJ McCarthy, the ex-Michigan and CFP National Champion, now with the Minnesota Vikings.
According to his bio on IMG Academy, he has extensive special teams knowledge.
As a previous member of the Buccaneer staff, Miller focused on all areas of special teams, including kicking, punting, and long snapping. Prior to his time with Tampa Bay, Miller was a member of the coaching staff for three years at Rutgers University under Head Coach Greg Schiano. Miller has extensive experience working with kickers at every level of football and will be a valuable addition to the football program’s kicking and special teams components.
More than likely, Miller will assume the role of special teams coordinator under Belichick, but that is pure speculation right now. All we know is that Miller will assume some role in that side of the ball in Chapel Hill.
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