North Carolina Tar Heels News

Does Larry Fedora deserve a contract extension?

Two months ago, that would’ve seemed like a strange question to ask. After all, North Carolina was coming off its first losing season since 2007, and the program’s win total had decreased in each of the two seasons that followed the Tar Heels’ 8-4 finish in Fedora’s first year.

Even after the first contest of this season — a 17-13 loss to a South Carolina team that has become a punching bag within the SEC — it looked like the 2015 edition of UNC was destined for mediocrity, or maybe even worse.

But with a defense that is much improved following last year’s disastrous campaign and an offense that has managed to score 38 or more points in every outing since the season-opening loss, the Heels have managed to string together five straight wins. The team is 2-0 in ACC play for the first time since 1997 and, at this point, is in excellent position to contend for the Coastal Division crown.

Defensive coordinator Gene Chizik deserves much of the credit for the early success this fall, as his defense is allowing, on average, 148.5 yards per game fewer than the 2014 Tar Heels. At the same time, however, Fedora’s role in the turnaround shouldn’t be ignored. With a 6-7 finish, UNC fell well short of the expectations that its own coach had set prior to last season. In the offseason, Fedora identified to problem (not that it was difficult to figure out) and made a change that has paid off six games into this year.

So, if Carolina continues to play the way it did in the first half of the season, should Fedora receive an extension?