Tar Heels football coach Bill Belichick landed the commitment of Gary Merrill, a quarterback who is also a five-star lacrosse recruit committed to playing the sport at North Carolina.

In a press release, North Carolina revealed that Belichick was a big factor in the decision to switch back to a grass field, stating, "The decision to convert back to grass was made in consultation with new [Belichick] — with the best experience for the program in mind."