UNC Football: Tar Heels part ways with defensive coordinator Jay Bateman

After a disappointing 6-7 season for the UNC football program, many thought changes were needed in Chapel Hill. And on Friday, the first change was made.

Inside Carolina reported on Thursday that the program was not expected to retain defensive coordinator Jay Bateman due to frustrations with that side of the football throughout 2021 or the team. On Friday, both the site and Bruce Feldman of The Athletic are confirming the report as Bateman is out after a three-year tenure.

Bateman exits Chapel Hill after being hired in December of 2018 to join Mack Brown’s staff in his second stint as head coach. He did sign a three-year extension in February of 2021 with a buyout of  $1.95 million.

UPDATE: Special teams coordinator and outside linebackers coach Jovan DeWitt is also out in Chapel Hill.

The defensive coordinator was a hot name in the coaching search and rightfully so.

He had a promising career at Army, leading the Black Knights to a Top 10 finish in scoring defense and total defense in 2018. That earned Bateman Broyles Award finalist recognition and caught the eyes of several programs that were in search for a new defensive coordinator.

While things got off to a promising start in Chapel Hill, it got sour in 2021. The Tar Heels defense was the worst since 2014 despite having a lot of talent on that side of the ball.  The 2021 season was capped off by UNC allowing 38 points and 543 total yards in their bowl loss to South Carolina, a team that had a struggling offense all season long.

The search for a new defensive coordinator now begins for the program and it should be an intriguing job. The Tar Heels return some young talent on that side of the football and welcome in a good recruiting class featuring five-star defensive lineman Travis Shaw.

For more on the UNC football program and their new coaching search, please check back with Keeping It Heel.