MIAMI — The North Carolina Tar Heels shook the school soccer world with the information they employed six-time Tremendous Bowl winner Invoice Belichick.
Though the previous New England Patriots coach had unprecedented success within the NFL, he has by no means coached in faculty. Which means he has by no means wanted to recruit highschool gamers as a substitute of drafting new, skilled gamers.
Though Belichick has not but hit the recruiting path, a number of South Florida prospects mentioned they would definitely pay attention intently in the event that they have been to get a name from the previous Patriots coach.
“I believe that’s positively an enormous deal, particularly due to the background he has,” St. Thomas Aquinas 2026 four-star prospect Justice Fitzpatrick mentioned. “He’s a legend. I believe that’s positively an enormous factor. It’ll positively be an enormous factor if he calls. I’d like to see how he can construct this system and see how they do.”
North Carolina doesn’t recruit South Florida intensely. Solely three South Florida gamers — together with Chaminade-Madonna working again Davion Gause and Cardinal Gibbons quarterback Michael Merdinger — have signed with the Tar Heels since 2020. All three of them have been within the 2024 class.
However UNC’s regionality won’t restrict this system with Belichick on the helm, given his common respect amongst soccer gamers and coaches across the nation. Any highschool coach or participant would take a name from the coach extensively thought-about to be the most effective NFL coach of all time.
Chaminade-Madonna 2026 three-star extensive receiver Jasen Lopez mentioned it might be “loopy” simply to speak to the legendary coach.
“That may be loopy,” Lopez mentioned. “Invoice Belichick’s a legend. He’s coached nice guys. That may really be loopy to me if I even talked to Invoice Belichick.”
St. Thomas Aquinas 2027 cornerback Zayden Gamble thought the identical, calling the transfer a “nice rent.” He mentioned he would like to be recruited by Belichick.
“That may be wonderful,” Gamble mentioned. “Having one of many best NFL coaches discuss to me, which means rather a lot to me. But when that’s the place God (needs) me to go, I’d be honored.”