Even though it is only the second meeting of the two programs as conference foes, when Louisville takes the field Saturday night in Kenan Stadium there will be a strong familiarity component between the coaching staffs. The theme of this game could be “Family Tradition”. Louisville is in its fourth season under the tutelage of Jeff Brohm, and the Tar Heels are in their second season with Hall of Famer Bill Belichick.
Brohm and the Cards are 6-3 this season, winning four straight and 34-15 since 2023. Belichick is in his second season as the head coach of the Tar Heels with a 9-12 record, 5-4 this season. Belichick won six Super Bowls as head coach of the New England Patriots and has another two as an assistant coach.
The Carolina offense struggled last season, scoring 19.9 points per game and the production of quarterback Gio Lopez was less than stellar. Lopez found a new home at Wake Forest where he is thriving and has the Demon Deacons ranked 13th in the College Football Playoff poll. Standing across the sidelines wearing that baby blue for Carolina is none other than former Cardinal head coach, now UNC offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino. With Petrino dialing up the plays and Billy Edwards Jr at quarterback, the Heels have improved their offensive output to 27.1 points per game this season.
Petrino was the Louisville head coach from 2003-2006 and again from 2014-2018. During his first stint, the Cardinals went 41-9 and owned the nation’s second longest home winning streak (22). Louisville’s offense was Top 10 in the country in scoring and total offense from 2004-2006. Louisville finished 6th in the AP Poll in 2004 (Liberty Bowl Champions) and 2006 (Orange Bowl Champions). In the second stint, Petrino led The Ville into the ACC, won a share of the conference title in 2016 and brought a Heisman Trophy to Louisville via Lamar Jackson.
Petrino went 3-0 against North Carolina as the head coach of Louisville…