It’s no secret that Bill Belichick has a knack for finding diamonds in the rough. From sixth-round quarterbacks to Division 2 cornerbacks, Belichick brought in talent from across the college football spectrum when he was with the New England Patriots.
Now, Belichick has brought that same philosophy, whether by necessity or by choice, to UNC. Just three weeks into the regular season, Belichick and company are still getting a feel for UNC’s overhauled roster, but everyday starters have emerged. Many of them come from either smaller FBS programs or from the FCS, one tier below FBS football.
Some notable names from this group include South Alabama’s Gio Lopez at quarterback, Rice’s Chad Lindberg at center and Troy’s Daniel King at guard. While Belichick and the Tar Heels aren’t necessarily aiming for overlooked gems, the head coach said the pedigree of a player’s background isn’t a determining factor in his recruiting.
“I’m just partial to good football players,” he told reporters at the Kenan Football Center Tuesday. “It doesn’t really matter where they come from. If they can help our team and our program and they’re good teammates, then I definitely like having them.”
This is nothing new for Carolina, which signed several standout players from smaller programs under head coach Mack Brown and turned them into stars. King, who put up outstanding numbers at Troy and has earned a starting spot at UNC, said his journey from the Sun Belt to the ACC has paid dividends on the football field.
“I definitely came in with an edge,” King said. “I wanted to prove something in my career, coming from a smaller school. I knew that I wanted to show the coaches I could compete at this level and be a good player for this team.”
One of the more unorthodox paths to UNC is that of defensive end Melkart Abou-Jaoude, who came to Chapel Hill from FCS Delaware this offseason as one of the first transfers to sign with Belichick. But at one point in his life, Abou-Jaoude had practically given up on playing big time college football. He was working in a bagel shop in his hometown of Newton, New Jersey when a chance encounter changed his life. Someone with connections to the Delaware program walked in, saw Abou-Jaoude, and knew he had to make a move.
“He looked me up and down and was like, ‘What are you doing here? Why are you making bagels?'” Abou-Jaoude remembered. “I was like, ‘I’m in high school, I’m just trying to make some money.’ And he was like, ‘Are you gonna play college football? Are you committed anywhere?’ I was like, ‘No.’ At that point, I was thinking about either going to JuCo [junior college] or just working and getting a job.”
Abou-Jaoude had played at a small high school program, and thus had slipped through the cracks on the recruiting trail. But Delaware took a liking to him and offered him a spot on the team. Now, after becoming a standout with the Blue Hens, Abou-Jaoude is making plays for Bill Belichick. Like King, he said his long and winding road to the ACC has given him a chip on his shoulder.
“I feel like I carry myself with that chip,” Abou-Jaoude said. “Just the way I go to work and the way I attack every day and I attack the game.”
Abou-Jaoude was a game-wrecker against Richmond last weekend, finishing the afternoon with two sacks and a fumble recovery. Belichick, no stranger to defensive playmakers, praised his new edge rusher’s work ethic and ability to learn quickly.
“Sometimes you feel like you’re repaving the road over and over again,” Belichick said. “We cover this, and then two days later we go back and cover it again, then two days later we go back and cover it again. It’s like, ‘When can we move on?’ But with him, it’s been continuous progress.”
While Abou-Jaoude isn’t exactly Tom Brady and these Tar Heels are nothing close to the Patriots of yore, the Delaware transfer does fit the profile of a player who Belichick has historically taken a liking to: a hard worker who plays efficient, clean football. Those types of players are all over the UNC roster, from a former Holy Cross Crusader and amateur dancer on the offensive line to a converted lacrosse player at tight end.
These are all fascinating stories waiting to be told. Whether those stories translate into a win in Orlando tomorrow is another issue entirely.
Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications/Andy Mead
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