Bill Belichick, Bobby Petrino 'on Same Page' with UNC Football Offense

Veteran offensive coordinator Petrino joins Belichick's staff, bringing high-powered attack to Chapel Hill

Apr. 1, 2026 at 9:05am

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UNC football head coach Bill Belichick has brought in veteran offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino to help turn around the Tar Heels' struggling offense. Belichick says his relationship with Petrino will be similar to the one he had with longtime Patriots OC Josh McDaniels, with Petrino running the offense but the two collaborating closely. Petrino, who has over 40 years of coaching experience, is tasked with improving an offense that ranked 16th in the ACC in points per game last season.

Why it matters

Belichick and Petrino's partnership is seen as crucial to UNC's hopes of bouncing back from a disappointing 4-8 season. Petrino's track record of building high-powered offenses, including at his previous stop at Arkansas, has Tar Heel fans hopeful he can unlock the potential of UNC's talented group of quarterbacks and return the team to bowl contention.

The details

Petrino, 65, joins Belichick's staff after two seasons as the offensive coordinator and interim head coach at Arkansas. He'll be tasked with reviving a UNC offense that ranked 131st nationally in total offense in 2025. The Tar Heels struggled to score points, reaching 30 points just once against an FCS opponent. Petrino will work with a quarterback room that includes redshirt sophomore Au'Tori Newkirk and several transfers, including Billy Edwards Jr. from Wisconsin and Miles O'Neill from Texas A&M.

  • UNC began spring practice on April 1, 2026, the first day of Petrino's tenure as offensive coordinator.
  • Petrino's two-year contract with UNC was signed on February 16, 2026 and runs through January 2028.

The players

Bill Belichick

The head coach of the UNC football team, who previously worked with offensive coordinators like Josh McDaniels during his time with the New England Patriots.

Bobby Petrino

The new offensive coordinator for UNC football, who has over 40 years of coaching experience, including 18 as a college head coach, and a track record of building high-powered offenses.

Au'Tori Newkirk

The redshirt sophomore quarterback who is the lone returning QB from Belichick's first season at UNC.

Billy Edwards Jr.

A transfer quarterback joining UNC from Wisconsin.

Miles O'Neill

A transfer quarterback joining UNC from Texas A&M.

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What they’re saying

“As an offensive coordinator, they're calling it, they're running, but there are certain things that we're gonna collaborate on and that's what it'll be. I've known Bobby for a long time.”

— Bill Belichick, UNC Football Head Coach

“Again, Bobby's got a ton of experience. He's had great production every place he's been. I'm excited to work with him. He's been great to work with and I think he's got a great grasp of offensive football and certainly familiarity with his system on how to call it and the adjustments that he makes with it and so forth.”

— Bill Belichick, UNC Football Head Coach

What’s next

Petrino and Belichick will continue to work with the quarterbacks and install the new offensive system throughout spring practice, with the goal of having the unit ready to go for the 2026 season opener.

The takeaway

The partnership between veteran coaches Bill Belichick and Bobby Petrino represents a high-profile attempt to quickly turn around UNC's struggling offense. Petrino's track record of building productive attacks should complement Belichick's defensive expertise, giving the Tar Heels the potential to become a more balanced and dangerous team in the ACC.