CHAPEL HILL  —- North Carolina earned its biggest victory of coach Bill Belichick’s tenure in the season opener against TCU in Ireland.

Now the Tar Heels open their 100th season at Kenan Stadium wearing throwback jerseys from the last time they claimed an ACC title (1980) against East Tennessee State. Kickoff is Saturday at noon.

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“Great recognition of this stadium and all the great people that have played and coached here,” said Belichick, an NFL coaching legend in his second season at North Carolina.

The first game at Kenan Stadium was held Nov. 24, 1927. UNC is 328-207-16 at its on-campus stadium located in the heart of campus. The program upgraded videoboards at the east and west ends of the stadium, added more video boards around the stadium and enhanced the sound system for this season.

Despite the 15-10 victory over TCU in the opener, much of the attention on the UNC program has been about off-field issues. UNC general manager Michael Lombardi, who was on paid administrative leave, resigned last week. Defensive coordinator Steve Belichick, Bill’s son, is on medical leave. An internal investigation into the program has expanded, WRAL reported last week.

Belichick said Monday at a press conference dominated by questions about the status of the investigation and his program, that he understands “the importance of the work that’s being done by the investigative team and obviously our high standards here, our code of conduct and doing things the right way and making sure that our student athletes are given the very best coaching that we can possibly give them.”

It was the Tar Heels’ defense, without Steve Belichick, that led the way in the win over TCU. The Horned Frogs didn’t score in the final 49 minutes of the game. Defensive lineman Xavier Lewis had seven tackles, including 4.5 for loss and two sacks and was named MVP of the Aer Lingus College Football Classic. Linebacker Derek McDonald, a transfer from Syracuse, had a game-high 11 tackles.

Tight end Jelani Thruman, a transfer from Ohio State, led UNC with four catches for 94 yards against TCU — a welcome bit of production from a position group that struggled last season. Thurman had a 20-yard catch and run on the Tar Heels’ first play from scrimmage. He added a 35-yarder on the same drive.

“We went out and got some great pieces to add to the tight end room — Jelani being one of those guys,” tight ends coach Caleb Pickrell said. “Just some key pieces that can make plays. So when given the opportunity, he made the play and came through.”

New offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino has emphasized and focused on tight end production this offseason, Pickrell said.

“A lot of Coach Petrino’s offense is centered around the tight end position. It always has been,” said Pickrell, who is in his fifth year in the program but the first as tight ends coach. “I was really excited to have the opportunity to be the tight ends coach for Coach Petrino. There’s just a lot of things dialed up for those guys.”

The UNC offense, which was among the worst in the ACC and the NCAA last year, looked competent under Petrino in the opener, even if the yardage totals weren’t extraordinary against TCU. UNC converted on just 3-of-11 third-down tries.

“We left some yards on the field in all three areas — offensively in the running game and the passing game, in the return game and defensively we gave up some yards and I didn’t think we needed to give up,” Belichick said. “We need to do a better job of correcting those mistakes, coaching, fixing some things.”

ETSU (1-1) is averaging 506 yards per game on offense, including 316 passing yards. The Buccaneers lost their opener to Campbell before defeating Tusculum on Sept. 5.

UNC has won its last 25 games against teams from the Football Championship Subdivision. Its last loss to an FCS school was in 1999 against Furman. It is UNC’s first game against ETSU.