Could Ringing a Bell Quiet the Noise for Bill Belichick?
As a Carolina Football fan who sat in the stands during past seasons that offered very little good football, my frustrations with this UNC team are more complex. I have taken it out on local media. Some of it has been justified, and maybe a couple of times my comments were just pent up frustration that spewed at the new guy who may turn into someone I truly enjoy covering the team. However, with the amount of slant and clickbait posts that are frankly not needed, the true football fans will be the viewers and readers the media needs once this regime in Chapel Hill moves on. Ironically, at least for a week, the noise can be drowned out by one familiar sound.
Given the amount of attention the country pays to where Bill Belichick goes on a random Monday night, you would think North Carolina playing Duke this weekend has massive implications. On a national level this game is about as important as knowing which show certain former NFL players host in the morning on ESPN. For the teams, this game is huge in their own eyes. North Carolina must win Saturday to stay alive for a postseason bowl game, and Duke can become bowl eligible with a win. I wrote earlier this week about offseason fan hope, and ending the season with a loss to your rival is a great way to squash any of that for the 2026 season.
What exactly are some areas we need to see Saturday afternoon from UNC in order to find a win against the Blue Devils?
It Starts up Front
Both the offensive and defensive lines need to establish themselves early in the game. North Carolina’s ground game disappeared the past two weeks, and the Tar Heels need to average five yards per carry on Saturday to keep the ball, move the chains, and more importantly limit the time Duke’s offense is on the field. The defensive line was held in check last week at Wake Forest. Some of that was the scheme Wake plays, and some of it was simply not being as physical as we had seen in previous weeks. While Melkart Abou Jaoude, Smith Vilbert, and Tyler Thompson are critical in the pass rush, the defensive tackles being able to push the pocket is an area to watch early. No quarterback likes pressure directly in his face, and this has been the recipe for better results in the back end of the defense. If the front six can get consistent pressure, then the Tar Heels have a chance. Yes, I said they have a chance.
Third Down Offense
The offense’s inability to score has been made worse by their struggles on third down. Gio Lopez has been ineffective at staying on the field with the Tar Heels converting only 32 point 8 percent of third downs. That is a recipe for an offensive explosion on Saturday, and not by the Tar Heels. Lopez is averaging one point eight yards per rushing attempt compared to five yards last season at South Alabama. Will the coaching staff stress the concept that it is acceptable to go get a first down with his legs this week? As Andrew Jones asked Belichick, not forcing throws at times when he may have pressed in the past is an area where Lopez has improved. Bill agreed, and the numbers reflect that. In order for the Tar Heels to be better on third down, the coaching staff needs to take at least one of the training wheels off this weekend. If not, the offense will again look like a stationary bike. Doing a lot of things but not going anywhere.
Jump on the Shipp
This is a big game, and Jordan Shipp needs to have the opportunity to be the reason the offense is successful or not. I like involving a high number of players throughout the year. It builds team morale and keeps practice energy high. That being said, in big time games you go to your best players. Shipp, Paysour, and Gause need to be the primary focus in the passing game. Make Duke’s defense, which has been bad, show it can stop them. In the running game, June needs to find his Syracuse self and recreate that on Saturday. To be fair, teams are committing eight and nine guys to stopping the running game, which makes targeting players like Shipp and Paysour even more important. If you want to stop the run, fine, we are going to take some deep shots over the top. A deep interception is just as good as a punt, and we have definitely gotten to know Tom Maginness really well this year.
If these three areas are carried out Saturday, then all the noise from this past week will be replaced with Bill Belichick ringing the Victory Bell.
