Bill Belichick, six-time Super Bowl champion and the University of North Carolina’s new football coach, spent nearly three hours Thursday visiting football powerhouse Bergen Catholic and offering scholarships.
“He’s beyond engaging,” Bergen Catholic coach Vito Campanile said Thursday afternoon. “The thing that strikes me is he’s so diversified and educated.”
Belichick visited several schools in New Jersey this week to promote his plan for the Tar Heels. His visit to Bergen Catholic, the four-time reigning Non-Public A state champion, was a necessity.
Belichick spoke with Crusaders in next year’s senior class, Campanile said, and offered scholarships to several players, including running back Najee Calhoun, defensive linemen Jermaine Kinsler and CJ Edwards, and defensive back Jordan Thomas.
“There was a good handful of kids that he was able to bump into, and meet with, and get some insight from,” Campanile said. “It was beyond open book about what they’re looking for in their players.”
Campanile is also a history teacher at the all-boys parochial school in Oradell, and said he and Belichick spoke for an hour and discussed everything from history, to family, to NILs, to where high school, college and NFL football are headed.
“I appreciated the 60 minutes we spent talking about our families,” said Campanile, whose family is filled with football coaches. “I appreciated talking about history, and I appreciated talking about where the evolution of football is going at all three levels.”
Campanile said Belichick gave the impression that he is fully committed to coaching North Carolina. He said the talk that the 72-year-old, who won six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots, will return to the NFL next season after being out of coaching for one season is just speculation.
“I couldn’t feel like he is more regimented and ready to do what he is going to do,” said Campanile, who said Belichick also visited rivals St. Joseph and DePaul, where his brother, Nick, is coach, as well as Don Bosco. “I honestly feel his outlook, and his organization, and his detail in his plan – I’m glad I don’t have a gambling vice, but I would bet a lot of money that he would not leave [for the NFL].”
Belichick was hired as North Carolina’s coach last month, and Campanile said the visit to Bergen Catholic was scheduled through Tar Heels’ general manager Michael Lombardi.
“I’ve developed a pretty good relationship with him,” Campanile said of Lombardi. “I was able to talk to those guys the first three days they got the job, and they just called back and said ‘He’s going to hit the road,’ and we’re pretty honored.”
