Gene Chizik: New Face of the Tar Heel Defense

While the nation watched Oregon plaster Florida State during the first college football playoff game of 2015, rumblings across the Twittersphere emerged from the opposite side of the country. Joe Schad, one of ESPN’s talking heads, broke the story out of Chapel Hill reporting the former Head Coach of the 2011 National Champion Auburn Tigers was headed to Chapel Hill to head up the vacant Defensive Coordinator gig for the Tar Heels.

It was time for a change in Chapel Hill, and Bubba Cunningham and Larry Fedora delivered.

The news was a refreshing end to the month-long saga of replacing former Associate Head Coach and Co-Defensive Coordinator Vic Koenning. Koenning’s three-year reign over the Tar Heel defense was a frustrating stay that watched the traditionally stronger defenses under the previous Davis/Withers administrations tumble to the bottom of the FBS barrel over the last three years.

Koenning’s group in 2014 finished with the worst points given up average since the early Bunting-Era, yielding 39 points to opponents per game. The poor stats don’t end there; this defense ranked 115th nationally in total defense (yielding 495.7 ypg) with half of UNC’s opponents eclipsing the 500 yard mark. Koenning’s 4-2-5 scheme, while successful in earlier stops, couldn’t gain traction against the run heavy slate that Carolina faces year in and year out in the Coastal division. It was time for a change in Chapel Hill, and Bubba Cunningham and Larry Fedora delivered.

Gene Chizik, 53, agreed to a guaranteed contract of three years that totals over $750,000 per year according to the ESPN sources that broke the story. His résumé includes most notably a 4 year head coaching stop at Auburn where with the help of QB Cam Newton won the 2011 BCS National Championship over Oregon.

He got his start as the Defensive Coordinator at Central Florida from 1998-2001 following up at Auburn from 2002-2004 and later Texas 2005-2006. His 2004 defense at Auburn and 2005 defense at Texas lead to undefeated seasons at each school including a BCS National Title at Texas.

we should watch a simpler, more traditional style of play on defense with much more beef in the front seven and simpler coverage for the secondary

Chizik is credited with building, improving, and leading élite defensive units where ever he’s coached. Chizik’s also known as an élite recruiter, and has stock piled NFL caliber talent on defense at every stop on his coaching journey.

The sources that broke this story have also confirmed that Chizik has the opportunity to make changes to Carolina’s current defensive staff. It would be a tough sell, but I hope Chizik goes after former UNC and NFL players for his staff who’ve received press for their accomplishments as coaches. I wouldn’t hate watching the likes of Tommy Thigpen (former UNC LB, UNC LB Coach, and safeties coach under Chizik at Auburn, current Tennessee LB Coach) return to the sidelines in Carolina Blue. Chizik also has the opportunity to poach members of his former staffs including the likes of Willie Martinez from Tennessee, Tracy Rocker from UGA, and Phillip Lolley of the CFL.

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As a student of the 4-3, Tampa 2 defense Chizik will usher Carolina’s defensive units through another off-season of changes. I’m encouraged by the hire and excited to see what position changes and physical changes we see Chizik enact once he gets to Chapel Hill. Pulling off of memory of his defensive units in the past, we should watch a simpler, more traditional style of play on defense with much more beef in the front seven and simpler coverage for the secondary. I also look forward to Chizik on the recruiting trail, where no negatives are found when a coach sporting two national title rings pitches a program to a recruit and his family. With the hire, the 2015 off-season looks like it will be much more welcomed after the disappointing Quick Lane Bowl Loss to Rutgers.

As always, Go Heels.

WFP