If Bill Belichick, North Carolina want recruits, they need ‘Hard Knocks’ more than it needs them

North Carolina was considering allowing HBO’s NFL reality series “Hard Knocks” into the inner sanctum of all things Bill Belichick.

The story isn’t that North Carolina and HBO couldn’t come to an agreement.

It’s that Belichick, new Tar Heels coach and king of controlling the narrative, needs “Hard Knocks” more than it needs him.

Player procurement – be it high school or transfer portal recruiting – demands it. In this new college football world where money is king and name recognition is secondary, it’s cash over the flash of Super Bowl rings of years gone by.

And when all things are equal and the money is similar, elite players are flocking to brand name schools. Not North Carolina.

The fact that someone at North Carolina had sold Belichick on the idea of allowing HBO inside his inner sanctum underscores the critical reality staring back at Belichick.

He’s fighting a losing battle recruiting elite players, because he’s fighting years of rock solid, unwavering DNA within the elite of the sport. Blue blood programs win big, others struggle to keep pace.

Consider this: the last first-time national champion in college football was Florida in 1996. One new first-time national champion spanning nearly three decades and three postseason iterations (Bowl Alliance, Bowl Championship Series, College Football Playoff).

North Carolina football coach Bill Belichick is introduced during half time of a men’s basketball game at Dean E. Smith Center.

It should come as no surprise then that Belichick’s first recruiting class, limited by a 10-week shotgun start, included all of one player with a national ranking, according to the 247Sports composite.

His transfer portal class was better and finished No.14 in the nation, though the ranking reflected quantity (18 players) as much as quality.

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/article/bill-belichick-north-carolina-want-105933232.html

Author : USA TODAY Sports

Publish date : 2025-03-05 10:59:00

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