Invoice Belichick is heading into uncharted territory. Amid lingering controversy over his private life and lingering questions on his transition from the NFL to the college ranks, the teaching icon should now navigate a brand new energy construction in Chapel Hill-starting with a brand new athletic director.
The College of North Carolina has named Steve Newark as its subsequent athletic director, set to succeed Bubba Cunningham, who will step down subsequent summer season to turn out to be senior advisor and athletic director within the chancellor’s workplace.
Newark brings a wealthy sports activities background to the position. For the previous 15 years, he served as president of NASCAR’s Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing and beforehand labored as a companion at a regulation agency with robust ties to motorsports.
What’s going to Newark’s relationship with Belichick appear like?
Belichick is famend for his iron grip on workforce operations. Although he was technically simply the top coach in New England, he held last authority over all soccer decisions-a setup that delivered six Tremendous Bowl titles but in addition strained his relationship with proprietor Robert Kraft.
Whereas the parting, two years in the past, was framed as mutual, studies recommend rising friction between the 2.
At UNC, Belichick might face a unique dynamic. Newark will formally lead the Tar Heels’ athletic applications starting subsequent summer season however will begin August 15 as govt affiliate athletic director. That first assembly between the 2 may set the tone for every thing that follows.
Newark eyes large issues in Chapel Hill
A Chapel Hill native and lifelong Tar Heels fan, Newark expressed pleasure about returning residence and dealing alongside Cunningham in the course of the transition. He is made it clear that his main objective is to raise UNC right into a “premier model in faculty sports activities.”
Along with his NASCAR background-where sponsorships are essential-Newark is anticipated to steer UNC by means of the complexities of the NIL (Title, Picture, Likeness) period. Whether or not that matches with Belichick’s famously no-frills teaching philosophy stays to be seen.
One factor’s for positive: If Belichick sticks round longer than a single season, we’re in for an intriguing cultural collision at Kenan Memorial Stadium.
