NFL News NFL News, Reports and Updates
When North Carolina coach Bill Belichick takes the sideline as a college football coach for the first time, he will face a familiar opponent: Sonny Dykes. The Tar Heels open their season with a nonconference matchup against TCU at Kenan Stadium, marking the first meeting between the two programs in nearly 30 years.
Dykes had initially looked forward to the game for a different reason: a chance to square off against Mack Brown, the former North Carolina coach and a Texas football legend. Dykes has a long-standing relationship with Brown, coaching against him frequently in the 2000s while serving as an assistant at Texas Tech. But with Brown out and Belichick in, the game now carries a different storyline.
“I think like a lot of people, I was just surprised,” Dykes told CBS Sports. “I didn’t know that he had interest in coaching college football, but I’m excited about it. I think it’s good for the game, I think it’s good for college football … we’re looking forward to competing against him. Obviously, his team is going to be very well prepared and, I’m sure, ready to play.”
Though their career paths differ drastically, both coaches credit their fathers for their inspiration. Dykes is the son of Spike Dykes, the winningest coach in Texas Tech history before Mike Leach came along. Bill’s father, Stephen Belichick, was a longtime assistant coach at Navy. Sonny began his career in high school and junior college, while Bill’s coaching journey started in 1975 as a special assistant with the Baltimore Colts. Dykes has spent his career in the college ranks, while Belichick became synonymous with NFL success.
Like many nonconference games, the series between TCU and North Carolina has been on the books for some time — since 2016 in this case….
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/bill-belichicks-first-game-at-north-carolina-to-come-against-tcu-which-is-well-versed-in-big-debuts/
Author : Shehan Jeyarajah
Publish date : 2024-12-13 18:06:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
