Kirk Herbstreit Praises North Carolina, West Virginia for Big-Name Coaching Hires

What a day for college football.

Bill Belichick on Jan. 11, 2024. / Eric Canha-Imagn Images

It seems quaint in hindsight, but there was a time when observers thought that 2024's college football coaching carousel would be quiet.

That hypothesis was blown up for good Wednesday, when North Carolina and West Virginia moved to hire NFL legend Bill Belichick and ex-Mountaineers boss Rich Rodriguez as their next respective head coaches.

The box-office moves received praise from ESPN analyst and ex-Ohio State quarterback Kirk Herbstreit, who called them "incredible" en route in San Francisco to call this week's edition of Thursday Night Football.

"This is a GREAT day!" Herbstreit wrote. "Congrats to both fan bases (if these deals are pulled off) and to CFB in general. Wow!"

Incredible! I get on my flight to SF and Bill Belichick is done deal with @UNCFootball and now @PeteThamel saying Rich Rod to @WVUfootball COULD be happening as well?!? This is a GREAT day!
Congrats to both fan bases (if these deals are pulled off) and to CFB in general. Wow!

— Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) December 11, 2024

Both coaches come with different sets of baggage. Belichick, a larger than life icon of 21st-century world sport, parted ways with the New England Patriots just 11 months ago. Rodriguez has had to rebuild his image after a messy firing from Arizona in 2018—one that saw him sued for sexual harassment in a case that was later dismissed.

However, eyeballs drive the bus in the modern game, and plenty of those will follow the exploits of the Tar Heels and West Virginia next season.

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