When Bill Belichick took over at North Carolina, the headlines practically wrote themselves. The greatest NFL coach of the modern era, strolling into Chapel Hill with his playbook of defensive sorcery and monosyllabic menace—it felt surreal. But while everyone was wondering how his presence would impact recruiting, few were prepared for how quickly it would shake up the staff. Just a few months into the job, Belichick pulled a classic Patriot-era move: he installed his son, Steve Belichick, as defensive coordinator. And quietly, but not without notice, the past DC was shown the door.
The DC we are talking about is Geoff Collins. Now, was this raw nepotism? It’s tempting to say yes. Belichick walks in, his son gets a prime role, and a respected defensive mind is out after just one year. But it’s not that simple. Geoff Collins had moments last season that made the Tar Heel faithful wince, none louder than the 53 points North Carolina surrendered, in one half, to James Madison. That’s the kind of implosion that lives in fan forums for years. Still, any DC will tell you Year 1 is often about cleaning up someone else’s mess. You’re installing schemes, learning personnel, and trying to make sense of a unit that wasn’t recruited to your style. Most guys get a grace period. Collins didn’t.
Whether it was Steve Belichick being too tempting to leave on the table or Bill Belichick simply not seeing eye to eye with the holdover DC, the result was the same: Collins out, Steve in. No press conference. No major blowup. Just a quiet, high-level chess move that says more about where the Belichicks want to take this program than any recruiting pitch could. This defense was going to look and feel like a Belichick creation, from the headset down.
But don’t cry for Geoff Collins. The man’s already bouncing back. According to Inside Carolina, he’s expected to join Shane Beamer’s staff at South Carolina in a support role. It’s not coordinator-level shine, and it’s not flashy, but it keeps him in the game and in the SEC, no less. The move gives Collins something rare in this business: space. Space to breathe, reassess, and get back to doing what he does best—designing chaos on defense without the pressure of calling every shot.
Geoff Collins is expected to join the Defensive Staff at South Carolina!
— INSIDE CAROLINA (@GamecocksInside) July 26, 2025
And if you’re looking for proof that this route works, look no further than Dana Holgorsen. The former West Virginia and Houston head coach slid into Nebraska this offseason in a quiet, analyst-type role. No headlines. No ego. Just a clipboard, some coffee, and the long game in mind. These mid-career pivots are becoming the new normal in college football.
For Collins, South Carolina offers that exact kind of opportunity. Beamer’s staff isn’t short on personality or creativity, and Collins fits the vibe. It also positions him to re-enter the coordinator carousel in 2025 while the nation still tries to forget Clemson’s 73-7 carnage over Georgia Tech when he was head coach. And, more importantly, his name is still in circulation. As coaching staffs turn over faster than ever, being in the building—any building—can be the difference between getting the call or getting forgotten.
So while the Belichick era in Chapel Hill might’ve cost Collins his post, it didn’t end his story. The man who once brought juice and edge to Georgia Tech is still in the room. And if history’s any guide, he won’t be sitting in the shadows for long.
How Collins could amplify an already elite defence
South Carolina’s 2024 defense was elite. The Gamecocks allowed just 18.1 points per game, ranking 5th nationally, while holding opponents to a stingy 112.2 yards on the ground per game, good for 16th in the nation. Their pass defense wasn’t shabby either; they surrendered only 204.4 passing yards per game (again, top‑20) and limited opposing offenses to just 322.5 total yards/game, placing them 16th in FBS. They’ve built their success on chaos—leading the country with 28 sacks and ranking 6th in tackles for loss with 57, forcing 2.6 turnovers per game, among the nation’s best.
But as impressive as those numbers are, expectations for 2025 demand evolution, not just repetition. And Geoff Collins, though still not in a spotlight role, could lend his experience. He is a defensive coach with proven pedigree in building units that set the tone. His tenure at other stops featured quick-strike defenses that thrived on confusion and aggression. And while his season at UNC didn’t end in glory, some years of struggles in a career don’t erase a history of success.
Now, he’s pegged for a role with the Gamecocks. Under Collins, the defense could sharpen the margins even further. More TFLs, better scheme discipline, tighter coverage windows, and fewer mental mishaps. If South Carolina takes the next step, it might just start with a coach who knows both chaos and the fine art of execution.
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