News and notes on the North Carolina college football coaching carousel this chilly December Saturday, knowing that as you read this sentence, things could change dramatically.
Bill Belichick-To-North Carolina Rumors Actually Have Legs
At first it seemed like a joke, a post from a social media parody account: UNC had interviewed the six-time Super Bowl champion coach for its football opening. But it turns out, the news was real. Bill Belichick of New England Patriots fame really does have a strong interest in being the next football coach of the Tar Heels.
Fans and pundits have had mixed reactions and questions abound. It certainly would bring buzz to the Tar Heels program, having one of the greatest NFL coaches of all time in charge. It already has dominated the recent sports news cycle, dwarfing conversation about today’s SMU-Clemson ACC title game.
Could a Belichick hire bring the (old man version of the) Deion Sanders effect to Chapel Hill?
Belichick, 72, is only a year younger than the man UNC just ousted, Mack Brown. And he has no college head coaching experience. Is this just a nepotism move by Belichick, who reportedly would bring his son, Steve Belichick, the defensive coordinator at Washington, to be the coach-in-waiting? Steve served on his father’s defensive staff at New England for a decade.
It is certainly high-risk, high-reward. This will be intriguing to watch unfold.
What of the other candidates on UNC’s radar? Tulane’s first-year coach Jon Sumrall has been considered one of the front-runners from the start. But his Green Wave laid an egg in the American Athletic Conference championship game Friday night, falling to Army 35-14.
Update (see, things are changing as we write this): the North Carolina Sports Network is reporting that “Jon Sumrall and UNC have exchanged terms and that those initial numbers were not acceptable to Tulane first-year coach / his representation.”
Is all the hype around Sumrall even justified? He’s 32-8 as a head coach but has only been one for three seasons – two at Troy and this season at Tulane. He does have strong credibility as a defensive mind, and that is certainly something UNC badly needs to upgrade.
Other names high on UNC’s list per media outlets like Inside Carolina and ESPN: Iowa State’s Matt Campbell (playing today – and losing badly – against Arizona State in the Big 12 championship) and Georgia defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann (Bulldogs playing today against Texas in SEC finale).
Former Gardner-Webb Coach Tre Lamb Emerges In Charlotte Search
It’s been almost three weeks since Charlotte dismissed Biff Poggi. Early National Signing Day came and went this past Wednesday without anyone inking a letter-of-intent to play for the 49ers.
We’ve learned who WON’T be the next Charlotte coach. NC State defensive coordinator Tony Gibson and former West Virginia coach Neal Brown (fired a week ago) have announced they are passing on the Queen City.
The silence on a new hire has been unnerving for Charlotte faithful. But could it be that all is quiet because the next 49ers coach is playing for a conference championship today? That would be Ohio coach Tim Albin, whose Bobcats are battling Miami (OH) for the MAC title game as we write this. Charlotte may have to contend with Purdue for Albin’s services, though.
Cameron Williams from the Charlotte Post reported Friday that East Tennessee State’s Tre Lamb “is definitely in the mix” for the Charlotte job. Lamb is an up-and-comer in his mid-30s, with a strong offensive mind. He led Gardner-Webb to two conference titles in 2022-23 before jumping to ETSU at the end of last season.
Interim head coach Tim Brewster remains a candidate, but the feeling is that he’s the fallback if all others say no. Otherwise, Brewster would have been in place before National Signing Day.
Williams put Albin, Lamb, Brewster and Western Carolina’s Kerwin Bell as four candidates “firmly in the mix.”
Bell also was mentioned with the East Carolina opening, which has since been filled with Blake Harrell. Perhaps because its head coach is seemingly looking around at other schools, Western Carolina did not ink anyone on National Signing Day either.
Missouri, SMU Offensive Coordinators Could Factor Into App State Search
When Neal Brown was let go by West Virginia earlier this week, his name quickly emerged for both the Charlotte and App State openings. Brown has since said “no” to Charlotte but there hasn’t been a denial of interest in the App State opening. Brown had a successful stint at Troy, which competes in the Sun Belt with App, before heading to West Virginia.
Two more names to emerge in App State’s quest to replace Shawn Clark late this week, per FootballScoop.com: Missouri offensive coordinator Kirby Moore and SMU OC Casey Woods.
Missouri’s offense has averaged 390 yards per game this season. Woods has been at SMU for three seasons as “chief of staff” and tight ends coach, in addition to OC duties. SMU, in its first year in the ACC, has been explosive, averaging 39 points and 442 yards per game.
NC A&T Finds Their Man, Hires Former Assistant Shawn Gibbs
Just two days after dismissing Vincent Brown following a dismal 2-21 tenure, North Carolina A&T announced that a favored son would be coming home. Former running backs coach Shawn Gibbs (2011-21) has been hired to take over the program and restore #AggiePride. It already feels like a dark cloud has been lifted in East Greensboro.
Read our full feature story on the Gibbs here HERE.
Duke Assistant Willie Simmons Headed To FIU
Willie Simmons’ stay in Durham as running backs coach will be a short one. Simmons left his head coaching post at Florida A&M to join Manny Diaz at Duke this past season. As we write this, news is breaking that Simmons will take over at FIU, an FBS program which competes in Conference USA.
Simmons compiled a 45-13 record at Florida A&M from 2018-23. He also went 21-11 at Prairie View A&M before that. Duke is 9-3 and preparing for a bowl game.
Check back often to NC Football News as we follow the 2024-25 cycle of the coaching carousel. Find us on Twitter/X HERE and on Facebook HERE.
