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North Carolina made the biggest splash of the 2024-25 coaching carousel when it hired NFL legend Bill Belichick, who brings eight Super Bowl wins to Chapel Hill. Though Belichick has earned his stripes as a guaranteed Pro Football Hall of Famer, this is his first stint as a collegiate coach, entering at a time when the sport is in a constant state of flux.
For instance, Belichick took the position in the middle of one of two transfer portal windows, which allow college football players to move schools with near impunity. Those transfers can be enticed by name, image and likeness funds, allowing them to legally profit off of playing football — not unlike NFL free agents.
With so many eyes on North Carolina because of Belichick, and with such a busy offseason ahead, it felt appropriate to track all of the major coaching hires and roster changes that Belichick makes as he embarks on his first college journey.
Over the next month or so, Belichick will build a staff that fits his vision. He will also use the transfer portal to fill out a roster that conforms to his scheme while convincing players that he wants to retain to amid the coaching transition.
Here’s a full rundown of all the moves that Belichick has made thus far.
Key coaching, personnel department moves
General manager — Michael Lombardi: Belichick was vocal about his need for an NFL-style office to help from a roster management perspective, so it makes sense that the first major hire he announced — and referenced multiple times during his introductory press conference — was Lombardi, who has over 30 years of front office experience at the NFL level. Lombardi was a scout, pro personnel director and director of player personnel with the Cleveland Browns from 1987-95 and worked with Belichick from 1991-95. The two crossed paths again with the New England Patriots when Lombardi was hired as an assistant to the coaching staff in 2014. The pair won Super Bowls together in 2014 and 2016.
Offensive assistant — Freddie Kitchens: Belichick also announced during his introductory press conference that he would retain Kitchens, who spent two seasons as the tight ends coach and run game coordinator under former coach Mack Brown. It isn’t clear what role Kitchens, who will serve as North Carolina’s interim coach for its Fenway Bowl showdown against UConn, will fill on Belichick’s staff. He does have both collegiate and NFL experience coaching a majority of positions on the offensive side of the ball, and he was also offensive coordinator for the Browns in 2019.
Christo Kelly, IOL, Holy Cross: Kelly was the first transfer addition of the Belichick era. He committed to the Tar Heels as a grad transfer with one year of eligibility remaining and is a three-star prospect in 247Sports Transfer Rankings. Grading out as the No. 9 interior offensive lineman in the portal, Kelly played 778 snaps at center for Holy Cross in 2024 and earned first-team All-Patriot League honors.
Melkart Abou-Jaoude, EDGE, Delaware: Abou-Jaoude, a three-star transfer prospect, comes to Chapel Hill after three seasons at Delaware. In 2024, the 6-foot-5 and 250-pound Abou-Jaoude had 55 total tackles, 9.5 for a loss and 6.5 sacks. He also had eight quarterback hurries.
Connor Cox, TE, South Carolina: Ranking as the No. 15 tight end in the transfer portal at the time of his Dec. 18 commitment to North Carolina, the 6-foot-6er committed tot he Tar Heels after visiting Kansas and Michigan State. Cox has three seasons of eligibility remaining. In his career with the Gamecocks, he caught one pass for a nine-yard touchdown. North Carolina’s top two tight ends from 2024 exhausted their eligibility, so tight end was a need for Belichick.
Adam Samaha, PK, Michigan: Samaha backed up excellent Michigan kicker Dominic Zvada in 2024 and with Zvada returning for another season, Samaha hit the portal. As a high school recruit, the 247Sports Composite ranked Samaha as the No. 7 kicker in the nation. He was selected to the U.S. Army Bowl and and converted a 49-yard field goal in the game.
CJ Mims, DL, East Carolina: Mims initially committed to Wake Forest out of the transfer portal but flipped to North Carolina after former Demon Deacons coach Dave Clawson announced he was stepping down. Serving as a key piece in East Carolina’s defensive line rotation in 2024, Mims logged eight quarterback pressures, five hurries and two sacks. He also had 37 total tackles over the past two seasons. The three-star portal prospect ranked as the No. 31 DL in the transfer portal at the time of his commitment to North Carolina.
Miles McVay, OL, Alabama: McVay, a former four-star prospect in the class of 2023, never broke into a starting role at Alabama, but he did provided the Crimson Tide with depth at both right and left tackle. He logged 94 snaps off the bench in 2024. Most important for North Carolina, McVay brings a blue-chip pedigree with three years of eligibility remaining, which means that Belichick and his staff have plenty of time to develop him and tap into his upside. A three-star portal prospect, McVay ranked as the No. 20 OT at the time of his commitment to North Carolina.
Ryan Browne, QB, Purdue: Browne will bring some competition to North Carolina’s quarterback room after appearing in eight games, with two starts, at Purdue in 2024. He flashed tons of potential in an Oct. 12 overtime loss against Illinois, completing 18 of his 26 pass attempts for 297 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 118 yards. The Tar Heels could also bring quarterbacks Max Johnson, Jacolby Criswell and Conner Harrell back into the fold in 2025. Browne was a three-star high school recruiting prospect and sports the same 86 rating in the portal.
Chad Lindberg, OL, Rice: Lindberg, who spent the first four seasons of his collegiate career at Georgia, started 11 games for Rice in 2024. Eight of those starts came at left guard, while the rest were at left tackle, so he does bring some versatility to North Carolina’s offensive front. Like McVay, Lindberg was a four-star prospect out of high school when he signed with Georgia, and he did appear in 20 games with the Bulldogs, so he has SEC experience to tout.
Aziah Johnson, WR, Michigan State: Johnson should bring depth to North Carolina’s wide receiver room. A former three-star prospect out of Richmond, Virginia, Johnson appeared in four games as a freshman in 2023 and played in all 12 games for the Spartans in 2024, catching one pass for 15 yards. A majority of his snaps came on special teams, where he could also see the field early for the Tar Heels.
Khmori House, LB, Washington: House is, arguably, North Carolina’s most impactful transfer commitment thus far. The No. 2 linebacker in 247Sports’ Transfer Rankings, House is coming off a true freshman season in which he played in nine games for the Huskies. In that span, he tallied 33 total tackles, one forced fumble and one interception. He’s a box-to-box player with good speed in the middle of the field.
North Carolina incoming recruiting class
Belichick’s biggest win thus far was convincing four-star quarterback Bryce Baker to sign with the Tar Heels despite the coaching change. Baker, who is the No. 13 quarterback in the 2025 class, is the jewel of North Carolina’s signing class and an arm to build around for the future.
Programs like Penn State, where he took an official visit the weekend of Nov. 30, made a late push and had an opportunity to seize momentum after Brown was fired. But Belichick made it a huge priority to hold onto the in-state star, whose signing was recognized at North Carolina’s basketball win against La Salle.
North Carolina key returning players
Austin Blaske, OL: Blaske is one of a handful of players to withdraw from the transfer portal in the wake of Belichick’s hiring. The former Georgia transfer started 11 games at center for the Tar Heels in 2024 and graded out as their second-best pass blocker, according to Pro Football Focus. He also helped pave the way for star running back Omarion Hampton while playing 737 offensive snaps. Continuity at center will be important for Belichick as he builds out the rest of the roster and installs a new philosophy.
Aidan Banfield, OL: Another crucial blocker for Hampton, Banfield started nine games at left guard for North Carolina as a true freshman in 2024. He earned 247Sports True Freshman All-American honors while allowing just three sacks in 606 snaps. He also had a brief foray in the transfer portal, where he graded out as the No. 6 interior offensive lineman before withdrawing.
Amare Campbell, LB: Campbell was the first North Carolina starter to enter the transfer portal on Dec. 9 but pulled out five days later, giving Belichick a crucial leader in the middle of the field on defense. Campbell, a rising junior, finished the 2024 season with 72 total tackles, 11 for a loss, and one forced fumble. He also tied for the team lead in sacks (6.5).
Kobe Paysour, WR: Add Paysour, a former three-star prospect out of North Carolina, to the wave of Tar Heels stepping out of the transfer portal. Paysour took on a starting role in 2023 before an injury cut his season short after five games and played a limited role in 2024, but he does bring 70 career catches to the North Carolina offense. He also has 936 yards and seven touchdowns in three years at UNC.
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