CHAPEL HILL, NC — From start to finish, the whole thing was weird.

Watching Bill Belichick follow North Carolina out of the tunnel for the season opener against TCU was jarring even the better part of a year after his arrival, demanding you finally come to grips with the fact that this is something that’s actually happening: Belichick. College football. North Carolina.

Part of your brain saw Albert Einstein walking into a new position teaching high school algebra. Another part saw Johnny Unitas as a backup for the San Diego Chargers. Something just did not compute.

The reception wasn’t surprising, though. From the sold-out ticket allotment through the community’s frenzied excitement surrounding his debut, the atmosphere inside Kenan Stadium — flashing lights, choreographed blackouts, ev

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