The college football world has been turned upside down with the news that legendary NFL head coach Bill Belichick will be taking over at North Carolina. This is not what anyone expected to happen just three weeks ago, but Belichick is Chapel Hill-bound.
Obviously, this is going to make recruiting in NC a bit more difficult for Josh Heupel and the rest of the coaches at Tennessee, as Belichick will look to keep the top talent home. However, 5-star quarterback Faizon Brandon, the No. 1 ranked player in North Carolina and the country, is already a Vols verbal.
Shortly after the hire was made official, 247Sports' Anna Adams asked Brandon what he thought about the decision by the Tar Heels. In respectful fashion, Brandon said that he liked the move for UNC, but it doesn't change a single thing in terms of his recruitment. He's locked in with UT:
#Vols 5-star QB and No. 1 overall prospect, Faizon Brandon, an N.C. native, weighs in on the Bill Belichick hire at #UNC and remains "one-thousand percent locked in" with Tennessee: https://t.co/0Iw93WioBi pic.twitter.com/LVlJ5zwLMO
— Anna Adams (@AnnaH247) December 12, 2024
5-star QB Faizon Brandon is 'locked in' with Tennessee despite Bill Belichick going to UNC
"I think hiring him was a good decision by UNC, and they will get a lot of recruits and win a lot of games," Brandon told Adams. "But I don't think I would because I am 1000 percent locked in with Tennessee!"
Open and shut case. Brandon picked up 25 offers throughout his recruitment, with powerhouses across the nation hoping to land his commitment. However, Heupel and Co. were able to turn his head in the best way possible, leading to him shutting things down in Tennessee's favor on Aug. 3.
With the Early Signing Period for 2026 prospects still being a year away, there's of course plenty of time for Belichick and other coaches to try to flip Brandon. However, that's going to be tough, with Brandon continuing to say that nothing is going to prevent him from suiting up in Knoxville.
Belichick could end up reaching out to Brandon, but for now, it looks like that would end up being a waste of time. Brandon has a bright future at the college level and he's going to be making countless plays for Heupel in the SEC.