UNC Football: Can Larry Fedora Save Carolina Football?

Hype. It’s what you think about when you hear the name Fedora, or when you hear Carolina Football. Yes. There is a lot of hype about this new football era in Chapel Hill, and it begins with our new energetic coach, Larry Fedora. I’m not going to go on and on about Fedora, because I’ve done that in a many articles already, instead I’m going to talk about whether or not Coach Fedora can get our football program back on track.

Red Bull. Energy. Larry Fedora loves Red Bull Energy Drinks, and is often seen with a can of one in his hands as he sips through it during practice. When you think about North Carolina football, I want you to think about Red Bull and energy. Fedora is bringing a lot of energy, and regardless of winning or losing, he says that he just wants to see his players play with energy. He won’t accept that attitude that Coach Withers accepted of giving up in the middle of a game when you’re down or tired.

Coach Fedora told CBS Sports’ Brian Fischer this about what he expects of his team:

"“I’ve got in trouble in the past by saying this, but I don’t know another way to say it, there’s not a game we step out on the field that we don’t expect to win,” Fedora quickly says between sips. “When people ask how many you think you’re going to win, I don’t know any other way to look at it than when we step out on the field and put that Carolina blue on, we’re going to expect to win.”"

During his introductory press conference a few months ago, he told fans if we get up to get a burger and some fries…BAM…we’ve missed a Tar Heel touchdown. If that is the case he better have those drink boys running the aisles so I don’t have to go to the restroom to mix my drink.

Energy is the key to his offense, after all if you don’t have energy you just won’t succeed in an up-tempo offense like Fedora runs.

How does he take over a team that has been shaken down to its roots after a NCAA investigation? He has to come in a create an entire new atmosphere or in his words a “culture.”  He has to acknowledge the past, but be mindful of the present.  These kids are talented and Fedora cannot be perceived as if he is looking ahead to “his players.”  this has been a problem with brian Kelly at Notre Dame, Rich Rod when in Michigan, and Randy Edsell has been blasted for his treatment of the previous regimes players.  Fedora wants to build a culture that is focused on winning, being scholarly, and showing respect on the field.  It is done successfully in basketball so why not the gridiron. This is important to Fedora and he hopes that it will bring success to him and wins to Chapel Hill as all eyes are upon him beginning September 1, 2012 at 12:30.

Be sure to follow Bryant on Twitter @bryantdouglass and catch more of his blogs at Turn Four!

Keeping It Heel will be introducing a new forum to the site in the very near future.  For now please join in the conversation in the comments section.