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Impact of Bill Belichick's arrival is already being felt by UNC players

By Sara Marshall

Dec 7, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick on the sidelines against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. The Steelers lost 21-18. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-Imagn Images
Dec 7, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick on the sidelines against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. The Steelers lost 21-18. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-Imagn Images / Philip G. Pavely-Imagn Images
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With the college football season winding down over the past week, many players have decided to enter the transfer portal and move on to another team for next season. It's a common thing at this point in the year, and with the NFL being the goal for many, it's a crucial decision that could ultimately dictate their future.

Among the list of players looking for a new team to play for was UNC's Austin Blaske, the Tar Heels starting center. He spent the 2024 season in North Carolina and played four seasons prior with the Georgia Bulldogs, which was quite a transition for the lineman.

Why he wanted to transfer is not known, but his desire to land elsewhere didn't last too long, as the rumors surrounding Bill Belichick becoming UNC's next head coach heated up.

Before the public knew whether it was official or not, Blaske took to Twitter/X to announce that he was withdrawing his name from the transfer portal and remaining in Chapel Hill, presumably due to the eventual news that the former Patriots head coach was hired.

This could be a great sign for Bill Belichick before even arriving in North Carolina

Besides the initial questioning of Belichick's fit in the NCAAF, with even some of his more prominent former players doubting he would enjoy some aspects of the college football process, there was a lot of concern about how he would relate to younger players, as that had already been an issue in the NFL.

While that is still up in the air, the fact that a player was looking to continue his playing career elsewhere seemingly decided to back out of that decision because of Belichick's arrival proves UNC made the right decision to bring in the 8-time Super Bowl Champion.

This could be just the beginning of players who will ultimately choose the school during the recruiting process or to transfer to, as the desire to play for a coach as accomplished as Belichick is a once-in-a-lifetime deal. Plenty of big names in the NFL went to the Patriots just for him, some of whom wished they had been able to play for him, so up-and-coming NFL stars will likely be the same.

On top of that, Belichick's plans to make UNC a pipeline to the pros will also likely be a determining factor for many prospects and could make the Tar Heels a big threat in the future.

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