Bill Belichick's UNC staff recruitment leaves Florida high school football powerhouse in search of new head coach

Bill Belichick’s staff recruitment at UNC is having a ripple effect on high school football programs. His latest hire is IMG Academy's head football coach, Billy Miller. Miller turned in his resignation at the sports-based boarding school, leaving them in search of a new head coach. An advertisement for the football head coaching role has been up on the school’s website since Jan. 17.

IMG Academy confirmed Miller’s resignation with a statement released by the school’s Director of Football Operations, Kyle Brey. He wrote:

“Billy Miller has resigned from his position as IMG Academy National Football Team Head Coach to pursue other opportunities. Since 2014, Coach Miller has been an integral part of our football program, serving in various roles. In his tenure as head coach, he led our national team to a 25-3 record, including a national championship last season.”

Miller became IMG Academy’s head coach in 2022, after spending eight years with the program. He joined IMG Academy in 2014, fresh from a special teams scout role with the New England Patriots under Bill Belichick. As head coach, he led the Ascenders to a 25-3 overall record.

Miller was the fifth coach to oversee the IMG Academy football program since the school’s founding 12 years ago. He was hired to replace former New York Giants linebacker Pepper Johnson. Johnson coached the Ascenders for just a season after taking over from Bobby Acosta.

Who has Bill Belichick hired at UNC?

Since Bill Belichick's appointment as head coach of the UNC Tar Heels, the former NFL great has faced the challenge of recruiting both players and coaching staff. So far, the eight-time Super Bowl-winning coach has successfully replaced the three players in the program's quarterbacks room who left after his arrival.

Earlier reports indicate that Belichick has added two veteran coaches, Mike Priefer and Will Friend, to his staff. Priefer started his coaching career in college football before moving to the NFL in 2002, where he was a special teams coordinator from 2006 to 2022.

Friend, on the other hand, has more experience working in college, having served as Western Kentucky’s offensive coordinator. He also has experience coaching the offensive line at Georgia, Tennessee, Auburn and Mississippi State.

In an interview with ESPN’s Pat McAfee, Bill Belichick mentioned his focus on transforming the college program into a “pipeline to the NFL for the players.”