"It's a good thing for the school and program": Five-star Oregon TE commit reacts to Bill Belichick's arrival at UNC 

Bill Belichick dominated the NFL for decades, developing several players, notably Tom Brady, probably the greatest of all time. He had never coached at the college level, but fate has brought him as UNC's head coach.

The stunning move has spurred emotions around the football world, including from Oregon's tight end commit Kendre Harrison, the nation's top tight end prospect in the 2026 class.

"It's a good thing for the school and program," Harrison told Rivals.

UNC has reportedly signed Belichick to a five-year deal worth $10 million annually, though only the first three years are guaranteed. He expressed his excitement about the transition, calling it “a dream come true.”

“I’ve always wanted to coach in college football, and it just never really worked out,” Belichick said. “I had some good years in the NFL, so that was okay."

Belichick’s ties to UNC runs deep. His father, Steve Belichick, was an assistant coach at the school for three years.

Bill Belichick replaces former UNC coach Mack Brown, who was fired after compiling a 44-33 record over six seasons.

Belichick’s storied NFL coaching career began in 1975 as an assistant with the Baltimore Colts and peaked with multiple Super Bowl titles as head coach of the New England Patriots. His pivot to college football follows his departure from the Patriots and an unsuccessful pursuit of the Atlanta Falcons head coaching job during the last NFL hiring cycle.

Kendre Harrison reaffirms his commitment to Oregon

UNC was one of Kendre Harrison's favorite schools before he gave his commitment to Oregon last month. The school had hosted the tight end more than a dozen times.

With Bill Belichick's arrival at UNC as the head coach, several fans are pursuing Harrison to back off his pledge from Oregon to flip to the Tar Heels. Belichick’s storied career, which includes eight Super Bowl championships and the development of elite tight ends like Rob Gronkowski, only intensified the rumors.

However, Harrison put an end to the speculation with a clear message, saying (via Rivals):

"I'm 1000000% locked in with Oregon."

Oregon has the nation's No. 1 recruiting class in 2026 and holds 10 commitments. Besides Kendre Harrison, the class boasts top blue-chip prospects like offensive tackle Kodi Greene, running back Tradarian Ball and defensive tackle Bott Mulitalo.