UNC Football: Expectations for the Fedora Era

If Head Coach Larry Fedora doesn’t have you excited to be a Tar Heel football fan…you must not be a Tar Heel football fan. Fedora has brought never before seen amounts of energy and excitement to Chapel Hill. And it’s all about a program that the NCAA made a scapegoat out of, because they’re too scared to heavily punish BCS teams to make a statement. Sadly, we’re the example and I think it is wrong and unethical the NCAA let’s these BCS contenders get away with things North Carolina didn’t. This year we have fewer scholarships, no big signees for this season, multiple sanctions that won’t allow us to win championships and play in bowl games, and vacated wins. Yet, some how I am more excited about Carolina Football than I have ever been, and based off of my observations so are many of you! You’d think we’re crazy to be excited about a season where nothing will go for us, yet we’re all here and can’t stop talking about how pumped we are to see Larry Fedora’s reign begin!

But, let’s talk business…or should I say expectations.

2012: Clearly this year we’re all excited because Coach Fedora has pumped us up for this new no huddle look and new attitude about football in Chapel Hill. However we have no bowl game to work for, and lost many scholarships. So here are my expectations that I believe all of Tar Heel Nation should agree with. We may win all of our games, lose them all, or split them; but we can’t head into this season expecting the greatest Tar Heel football team in school history. On top of the sanctions, Fedora had only a few months to recruit what little recruits were left and while some have potential, these aren’t four and five star recruits. After all, Fedora did split his first season at Southern Miss and each year improved as his recruits took over the team. This is what I expect out of him here.

As far as wins and loses this is what we should expect this year: Beat State. Other than that, I honestly could careless because I know this team is crippled, but as long as we beat State, I’m happy because it’s been a long time since Carolina has been able to do that. As far as performance this is what I expect: I see a rough transition from the pro style offense to the spread offense. I don’t see much of a defensive struggle transitioning to the 4-2-5, but I do expect to see struggles offensively but by seasons end, I see a lethal offense ran by Bryn Renner, Gio Bernard, and AJ Blue.

2013: This is the season I expect things to began to take shape for Fedora. The Fedora mold is beginning to fall in place with four star recruits like RJ Prince coming to Chapel Hill. This team will also have something to play for in 2013 unlike this year’s squad such as the ACC Championship, beating State again, and getting into a bowl game. There are rewards and benefits to reap and use as motivation for these players. By now, experience is going to be in our favor because most of our offense is going to know this spread/no huddle offensive and we’re going to use it to our advantage. I expect a season of solid playing, energy, motivation, and improvement. I also expect to see more wins than loses at this point. As long as it’s not a losing season, I can’t be disappointed.

Now I’m not going to get into detailed expectations for 2014 and 2015. So I’m going to it like this. In 2014 we’re gonna be good, and in 2015, we’re going to be even better. I expect by 2015 with the team being nothing but Fedora’s recruits a team that can contend nationally and stay ranked in the coach’s poll. I expect to at least appear in the ACC Championship game by 2015. Now, I won’t be disappointed if we’re not winning conference championships, but I will be disappointed if we’re not winning and winning bowl games. Coach Fedora is an exciting coach and brings a new atmosphere to Chapel Hill. He is a recruiter and a successful coach. He turned Southern Miss around with a team that wasn’t that good, and in his first year still ended with a 6-6 record. I think Carolina is better than Southern Miss was in Fedora’s first year, and we could actually have a really solid season. Concluding this article I’d like to say, if things stay clean and healthy in Chapel Hill and Fedora meets if not succeeds expectations, he could be in Chapel Hill for many years. I’d have no problem with that!