Hello there. We’ve got a Saturday scooplet for you, revealing what the first four episodes of the Bill Belichick-UNC-Hulu documentary were going to be about.
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In late August, UNC football shared a video of head coach Bill Belichick revealing that the program would be part of a Hard Knocks-style show, produced by Hulu.
“It’s gonna feature,” Belichick said, “a program starting from where it started a couple months ago, to wherever it's gonna go during the course of the season, which, of course, is going to be determined on the field.”
“It will,” he added, “show our commitment to winning.”
It did not do any of those things.
That’s because the show never aired, scrapped in early October.
But we can tell you what it was going to look like, because FOIAball obtained the rough outlines for the first four episodes.
The show’s cancellation was first reported on Tuesday, Oct. 7.
That was a few days after the Tar Heels got thoroughly embarrassed by Clemson, which went into the half up 35-3.
While people joked the blowout might have pushed Hulu over the edge, the plan to scrap it was likely already in the works.
On Friday, Oct. 3, a day before the Clemson game, a reporter at People emailed the production company, EverWonder, to say she’d heard the show was going to be cancelled.
According to the records obtained by FOIAball, that news didn’t make it to UNC until Monday, Oct. 6, after EverWonder sent the inquiry to crisis communications firm Heller.
The firm wrote, in an email to UNC and executives at both Hulu and Disney, that they hoped to position it as a “scheduling issue.”
The next day, Inside Carolina broke the story.
A week later, People published an exclusive scoop from a source who said Belichick pulled out of the deal because Hulu was focusing too much on his personal life and his relationship with girlfriend Jordon Hudson.
A clause in the original contract included a talent contingency that allowed the coach an exit.
Who People’s source would have been on both the original cancellation rumor and the follow-up exclusive they got, well, you are free to speculate.
We can say that neither Hudson nor Belichick was on any of the emails discussing how to respond.
Included in the documents FOIAball obtained was a rundown of the first four episodes Hulu was about to air.
They don’t mention Hudson at all, but three of the episodes planned to showcase “off the field moments” with Belichick.
A Sunday, Sept. 28 email from EverWonder to Hulu and UNC officials detailed “very rough outlines for episode 1 through 4.”
Episode 1 was slated to be sent to UNC on Oct. 10 for review, then delivered to Hulu on Oct. 17.
The series premiere would cover Belichick’s background and move to the college game, the quarterback battle in training camp, and preparation for the season opener, where the school got shellacked by TCU.
It also has “off the field moments in this episode with BB, thank you!”
EPISODE 1:
BB's history in NFL and moving to college coaching, accepts job at UNC. We have off the field moments in this episode with BB, thank you!
QB decision (scene and interview with Max, need Gio interview and scene to balance this )
BB in Office meetings or one on one with player (TBD)
The team prepares for TCU/run of show practice
TCU game
In Episode 2, the team would be shown regrouping after the loss, focusing on team captain Jordan Shipp, a wideout who the rundown said emerged as a “bright spot.”
And yes, his four catches for 84 yards against TCU were about the brightest thing in that game.
EPISODE 2
UNC regroups after TCU with a short week.
We have the off the field moment with coach in the classroom but would love one more.
Team Captain Jordan Shipp emerges as an early-season bright spot
Gio Lopez is banged up but will start vs CLT (Need Gio's interview here)
Coach's Team (Steven, Brian, Michael (waiting on their interviews), Matt & Nutrition staff)
Portal Reunion: Thadeus Dixon & Andrew Simpson Best Friends
Let the fun begin!: UNC d. Charlotte
Episode 3 would have highlighted another “off the field moment” with Belichick. It was going to cover two games, both the team’s win against Richmond and its loss to UCF.
We would have gotten a Steve Belichick interview, too.
EPISODE 3:
Off the field moment with BB
Post Charlotte practice + Ship and Gio check in off field follow (TBD)
Prep for Richmond game - Film Room + Player OTFS
Richmond Game
BB + Coaches on player development and team cohesiveness + coaches meeting (TBD)
Prep for UCF
UCF game
Post UCF - check in with Gio, Ship and Max
Episode 4 was on the “Biggest game in Chapel Hill this season. The intensity at the football center is ramped up - BB arrives.”
But BB did not arrive that week. Instead, Clemson walloped the Tar Heels.
It also flagged another “off the field moment with BB.”
EPISODE 4:
Biggest game in Chapel Hill this season
The intensity at the football center is ramped up - BB arrives, coaches talking about the games from the previous weekend
Who is playing QB? Update on Gio health, QB Discussion with Coach & Matt Lombardi
Students prepping for a battle at High Noon
TBD see Max Johnson Family, UNC Alumni
Off the field moment with BB
According to the dates on the email, none of the cuts had been delivered to UNC. So what happened between the Sept. 28 email and the Oct. 3 inquiry from People is anyone’s guess.
Maybe the rundown had too many “off the field” references. We don’t know.
The original contract with EverWonder said that UNC would own the rights to everything the crew filmed. But given all the delivery dates came after the cancellation, the school may never have gotten any footage.
Which means that it’s up to the folks at EverWonder to leak it.
Email is [email protected].
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Bill Belichick via @UNCFootball