University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Behind Enemy Lines: North Carolina
10/7/2026 2:14:00 PM | Football
PITTSBURGH—Each week, as Pitt prepares for its next opponent, we'll look at what the other side is saying about the Panthers. Here's a snapshot of how North Carolina is sizing up Pitt ahead of Saturday's matchup at Acrisure Stadium.
"A Good Football Team"
North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick opened his weekly press conference by praising Pitt's ability to create problems in all three phases.
"Obviously, a good football team," Belichick said. "Coach Narduzzi does a good job. I've known him for a long time. He's a really good defensive coach, and they have a good defensive system there."
Belichick highlighted the Panthers' explosiveness on offense, particularly at the skill positions.
"Coach Bell does a good job getting the ball down the field," he said. "They have multiple running backs, sometimes four or five guys, and the receivers are very good and very explosive, too."
"This is a good football team. They do a lot of things well, force their opponents into a lot of mistakes and create big plays on offense and defense."
Preparing for Pitt's Quarterback Change
North Carolina expects Pitt to turn to its backup quarterback this week, but Belichick does not anticipate the Panthers making significant changes to their offense.
"When you watch him [Holden Geriner] come into the game, you don't see the offense change much," Belichick said. "He does what they do and makes good, quick decisions. You can tell he's experienced and took advantage of some of the looks he got in those games. He has a good arm."
UNC defensive lineman Leroy Jackson was also impressed by what he saw from Pitt's quarterback during his limited action.
"He's a very good quarterback—breaking down the defense, knowing the defense and trying to make the right decisions," Jackson said. "We're going to have to focus on us and focus on the little things to help us go to Pitt and win that game."
Belichick said the Tar Heels will prepare for each of Pitt's available options at the position.
"Our job is to prepare for the players we expect to play," he said. "But one play could change that, and we have to be ready for the next person to come in as well."
Handling Pitt's Pressure
Pitt's aggressive defensive approach has North Carolina's full attention after the Panthers forced five turnovers in their victory over Virginia Tech.
"The defense creates a lot of pressure, and we'll have to do a good job handling that," Belichick said. "They hit the quarterback a lot, but it's not just one guy. They play good team defense and pressure a lot."
North Carolina quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. said the Panthers combine that aggression with disciplined, assignment-sound football.
"They're going to pressure the quarterback, but they also do a very good job of playing sound, gap-sound football as a defense overall," Edwards said. "They know their intent: They want to get after the quarterback, they want to play quarters and they trust their guys out there."
"They're 5-0 for a reason," he added. "They haven't lost a game for a reason. They've played very well defensively. We're going to have our hands full offensively."
Returning to Pittsburgh
For North Carolina inside linebackers coach Jamie Collins, the trip to Acrisure Stadium carries added meaning. Collins spent part of his NFL career with the Cleveland Browns and is familiar with the football culture surrounding Pittsburgh.
"When you think of that, it's all football," Collins said. "It's all about football, the history and the legacy there."
Collins plans to emphasize that environment while preparing his linebackers for Saturday.
"I'm excited to get there, and you best believe that's going to be one of the topics in the linebacker room this week, as far as getting ready to go," he said.
"If we're not ready for Pittsburgh, I don't know what's going to get us ready."
