UNC QB enrolee Bryce Baker shares how 7x Super Bowl winner Bill Belichick convinced him to sign for the Tar Heels asking "all the hard questions"

UNC enrollee Bryce Baker shed light on a discussion he had with the Tar Heels coach Bill Belichick that convinced him to sign with the program. The four-star quarterback out of Kernersville (North Carolina) talked about the conversation on the "Twins Take" podcast on Sunday with Luke and Jackson Hershey.

When asked how he handled the coaching transition from Mack Brown, who mostly recruited him, to Bill Belichick, Baker said (Timestamp: 2:32):

“It was tough. I was just trying to figure out what opportunity was best for me, and I definitely wanted to visit Penn State and see what they offered. And just to be honest with you, they checked all the boxes when I went there.

"Their crowd was electric, their resources were, I mean, it was tough to compare just because it was two totally different programs, but they had what I was looking for in their own way.

"But, I mean, God definitely led me back to UNC and after a phone call with Coach Belichick, he kind of convinced me to just trust him and trust what he was bringing in and asked all the hard questions about me playing early, about my development, about his plan to not only develop me but the team so we can have success.”

Bryce Baker had initially committed to North Carolina in June 2023. As a highly rated in-state talent, Baker was a top priority for Brown and his staff. However, the understanding between the quarterback and the program hit a challenge when Brown was fired at the end of the 2024 regular season.

Consequently, Baker didn’t sign with the program during the early signing period, deciding to weigh his other options instead.

While the program searched for a new coach, Baker considered other programs, including Penn State and LSU. However, the Tar Heels hired the seven-time Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Belichick to replace Brown in December. Belichick had a chat with Bryce Baker and was able to convince the standout quarterback to sign with the program.

Bryce Baker’s recruiting profile

Baker is a 6-foot-3 physical specimen with a 195-pound weight. He was the No. 80 player in the 2025 class, as well as the No. 8 quarterback, according to the 247Sports Composite. He had a terrific senior season at East Forsyth High School, passing for more than 3000 yards and 36 touchdowns. He rushed for an additional six touchdowns.