Arguably the greatest NFL coach ever stood in front of the freshman quarterback, grilling him about a procession of plays.
Bill Belichick, clad in his North Carolina gear, kept asking, “Then we hit?” while Bryce Baker cited different routes he would be looking for, like a seam route and in-cut.
“That’s how you move the ball down the field,” Belichick explained. “You got to hit some of those plays.”
The back-and-forth exchange between Belichick and Baker marked one of several notable scenes from a two-minute behind-the-scenes video North Carolina released Wednesday, which showcased the legendary coach preparing his team for his inaugural season with the program.
Belichick, known for his gruff demeanor while leading the Patriots to six Super Bowl triumphs, provided primarily positive feedback to his players as they ready for their Sept. 1 opener at home vs. TCU.
While the 72-year-old is a defensive genius, the most engaging scenes show Belichick working with his group of quarterbacks.
He had a similar exchange again, emphasizing how those different routes result in the chains being moved with another group of quarterbacks.
Belichick also gave Baker a pep talk in another brief segment.
“It’s a lot quieter over there on defense when we make a few plays. That’s how we shut them up,” Belichick said of the defense. “We shut them up by making some positive plays.”
Of course, Belichick also showed off his defensive acumen by offering a simple solution for his defensive backs being a little too handsy for his liking.
“We gotta get the gloves on these guys,” Belichick said. “There’s holding on every play.”
Two defensive backs then donned mitts, seemingly with the intention of them learning how to better guard pass catchers without using their hands.
Belichick even had a quick exchange with a referee — or, at least someone serving as the referee — in which he offered compliments.
“Good call, Bobby. You’re getting those,” Belichick said. “You’re getting a lot of those. Like, damn near every call you make’s a good call.”
The Tar Heels still have less than five months until the season kicks off, and how Belichick fares in his first season will be one of the season’s top storylines.
NFL teams passed on hiring Belichick for the 2024 season, notably the Falcons, and he opted to become a first-time college head coach during this coaching cycle.
The former Giants defensive coordinator has also been enjoying time with 24-year-old girlfriend Jordon Hudson, with the pair posing recently for a photo with popular rapper Lil Wayne.