Bill Belichick's second season at North Carolina opens under a darkening cloud. General manager Mike Lombardi — Belichick's longtime friend and the architect of last year's talent-deprived roster — was placed on paid administrative leave Monday pending an HR investigation. The move adds to a turbulent off-field soap opera that has overshadowed the program since Belichick's arrival.

UNC bet heavily on the six-time Super Bowl winner, handing him $10 million annually and Lombardi $1.5 million with near-total control, billing the operation as the "NFL's 33rd team." Instead, the Tar Heels limped to a 4-8 record in 2025. Belichick later admitted they were unprepared: late on transfers, relationships, and contacts despite months of anticipation.

This year brings 70 new players from the portal and high school ranks, but the schedule is front-loaded and the roster lacks experienced performers. Lombardi's leave — rarely done lightly for a high-profile employee — signals deeper dysfunction. Patience in Chapel Hill is wearing thin. If a Hollywood ending akin to "Hoosiers" awaits, it must arrive soon.