North Carolina names Butch Davis new head coach

General42

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Former NFL coach Butch Davis will return to the sidelines as coach at North Carolina.

He will replace the fired John Bunting, the school said Monday. The hiring had been widely expected the past week after Davis’ name rose to the top of the list of candidates.

Davis, who will turn 55 Friday, brings a reputation for orchestrating turnarounds — which is just what the struggling Tar Heels need.

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42 Responses to North Carolina names Butch Davis new head coach

  1. class of 74 11/13/2006 at 5:45 PM #

    This guy will not be losing to CTC in recruiting or contests on the field of play. This only makes the decision to remove CTC that much more certain, it’s only a matter of time.

  2. redfred2 11/13/2006 at 5:54 PM #

    Uh, we’ve seen this before in Raleigh. Butch Davis really doesn’t have to do too much to accomplish a “turnaround.” This is a pretty good set up for a guy who has been out of coaching for awhile and I’ll bet that if Davis has immediate success in CH, that he won’t be sticking around to watch it fade away.

  3. tcthdi-tgsf-twhwtnc 11/13/2006 at 5:58 PM #

    I guess one triangle school has decided to hire a real head football coach while Duke and NC State seem to have a desire to fail with their assistant coaches.

  4. choppack1 11/13/2006 at 6:00 PM #

    I don’t think that’s fair in our case. We shoot for the friggin’ stars, but we haven’t been able to close the deal. Also, any program in the country w/ our tradition would have been pleased as punch w/ Amato’s first 4 years…so, I don’t think it’s fair to jump on our admin for those and the decision to keep him thus far.

    I’m still amazed that this could happen to Bunting since he wasn’t on the hotseat or anything.

  5. Buddygreen 11/13/2006 at 6:20 PM #

    I think this is a good hire if you are not a tar heel fan. 52-20 is not that impressive at Miam and many think Mr. Davis is taking a “safe job” because there is not high expectations at UNC and if he does do well it will propel him into a bigger job aka Mack Brown. Rumors have it the Browns job took a hit on his confidence, such is why he has been in broadcasting and he was not big time successful at Miami. Coker took them to the next level. Davis only got them to a mid major bowl and Davis will not have the luxury of the prime South Florida Recruits. I think Davis takes the UNC job as a safe bet cause he will not step into monster expectations that a job at Alabama or Miami would have. I think the man just took a lesser job cause his confidence is lacking. Why else take the job, he would have gotten more money elsewhere, better recruiting avenues already in place, better talent on other teams already, and a higer profile program. To me taking this job makes no sense when higher paying better jobs will be available.

    As far as CTC, I would like to see him have another year as long as Trestman is let go. We knew this was a rebuilding year and I believe he is going to have a good recuiting year and we got a lot coming back. One good thing is Norm Chow might be available at years end. Things are not going good in Tenn. and the coaching staff might be let go. Would love to us get him, he always said good things about State. Chuck can build a defense but hiring Trestman and giving him total control of the offense has been a mistake. Cignatti’s brother the OC at UNC might be a great hire also. Frank was a hot item and can run a wide open offense if allowed.

    Sad thing is watch Butch Davis be at the game and introduced this Sat. but that on top of senior day and Buntings last game and the pack walking into a emtional fired up Kenan Staduim on Saturday. We better be ready to play and if CTC loses to UNC and ECU, I might change my mind about giving him another year. oh well just some of my thougths.

    Glad to see Lowe kicking some ass on the recruiting trail!!

  6. Mike 11/13/2006 at 6:24 PM #

    While I beleive Davis to be a good coach, a lot of us could be good at Miami. He is a name though recruits will want to play for. However, I also beleive 2-3 years, UNX will be looking again, as this is not Davis’ dream job. He will move to one of the elite U’s or back to the pros soon.

  7. Wolfpack4ever 11/13/2006 at 7:55 PM #

    I just don’t get why so many think Butch Davis’s name alone will attract every blue chip prospect in NC. If it is true, I say good for him. Maybe he can keep the blue chippers who have been leaving to play for SEC, the Big Ten, West Coast schools and the indies such as Notre Dame at home in North Carolina. Yes, it does sound like a bit much, doesn’t it?

    And it’s a bit much to think that NCSU will suddenly start losing recruits hand over fist to a has-been who tucked tail and retired when he couldn’t cut it as a HC in the pros. Chuck is doing pretty darn good in Miami’s back yard. He’ll continue to do well as long has he’s at NCSU. The rap on Chuck ain’t his recruiting ability, it’s his sideline management and the play calling. Just because the so-called Lord and Savior of UNX football has arrived to irrecoverably forged ahead having his way with every blue chipper in NC , I am going to like so many others who haven’t taken a cowardly approach to UNX’s seemingly good fortune step back and see if the red-blooded country boys of NC want to go to that limp-wrist haven for the not-quite sure about their sexual oreintation, called Chapel Hell.

  8. Tarheel86 11/13/2006 at 7:56 PM #

    Apparently it doesn’t take a great coach to experience success against NC State. Duke and State are the only teams that Bunting is even .500 with in the conference…Butch is here so that maybe we can actually win outside the 919 area code.

    Also, I’d like to point out that while it is easy to argue UNC has lame fans sometimes, we sold out for an EXHIBITION game….while over in Raleigh no one was in the RBC Center for an actual regular season game. UNC Fans don’t have heart? Looks like State fans don’t have too much either.

    And for the record…Mac Brown did not want to leave Carolina. In fact, he was convinced he could compete for a national championship here. Regardless of how true that scenario may, or may not be, it’s not rediculous to think that a great coach may want to not only build a winning program…but keep it as his own. I know it scares state fans…but it could happen.

  9. wufpaxno1 11/13/2006 at 7:56 PM #

    I know that there has been a lack of production on offense, but you guys have got to quit jumping on Trestman. It takes at least three years to implement a new offensive system, and we have had no continuity on offense in over five years with the constant turn over in coaching. If you let Trestman go then expect Justin Burke to go as well, he only came here to play for Trestman. And ultimately the responsibility falls with the head coach on ALL counts!

    Amato babies his players when he should be mentoring them, requests of them when he should be demanding of them, and shelters them when he should be disciplining them. The players love him, he’s their buddy, but what they need is a coach. This is why there have been so many turnover problems in his staff; they are second fiddle to the players. If you are going to hold anyone accountable it needs to be Amato. Besides, with his reputation for rolling through assistants, who do you think we would get to replace Trestman? I don’t even think Mike Ocain would consider the job.

    If you want a productive, exciting, and enjoyable to watch offense then we need to hire a new coach, Norm Chow, and let him bring in his own staff. He is the best offensive mind college football has seen in recent history. The only reason he jumped ship to coach in the pros is that was never offered a H.C. job in college, and did someone not say that N.C. State was one of only two jobs he would consider in college. This is the man who made Philip Rivers who he is today and is therefore largely responsible for Amato’s first four years of success here. And he did that in only one year here. Imagine what would happen if he were here full time, now that would be an offense that I would love to see. Hell, I wouldn’t even care if we won all the time, at least we know we would score early and often.

    But alas, it is but a pipe dream. Our administration endeavors to persevere, and has proven ineffective when forced into the opportunity to make a positive change. It is too much to hope that they would make a move on their own.

  10. Cardiac95 11/13/2006 at 8:10 PM #

    Great vision….

    Great decision making…..

    Great hire…..

  11. Wulfpack 11/13/2006 at 8:45 PM #

    Carolina is going to be kicking our ass for years to come if a few people making the big decisions in Raleigh don’t wake up real soon. That’s really all I have to say about this. They got theirs, now let’s go get ours.

  12. WolvesEatRams 11/13/2006 at 8:48 PM #

    Tarheel86…….. Please do not take this as an attack, it is just my opinion….. The reason that Carolina’s exhibition game was sold out is because of the sheer sorryness of the football team…. Carolina fans are almost as bad as Duke fans for showing little or no support for your football team. I know we are sorry in football too, but we still go and fill all or most of the seats at C-F to support our woeful wolfpack..

    And as for basketball, It is sad that there were only about 9,300 fans there….. But once everyone gets used to Sid’s new upbeat tempo(remember, we are not used to fun, fast paced basketball), The RBC will be the loudest place in the ACC…

    “I fear we have awakened a sleeping giant and filled him with a terrible resolve. ”

    -Admiral Isor

  13. WolvesEatRams 11/13/2006 at 9:03 PM #

    For State fan and even every Tarheel fan……When you think of N.C. State basketball , I want you to remember this phrase……….
    “I fear that we have awakened a sleeping giant and filled him with a terrible resolve.”
    – Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
    Empire of Japan
    December 7th, 1941
    (Quoted after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, Yamamoto knew he had awakened a sleeping giant(USA) )

    Message to Carolina, Duke, and the rest of the country: State is YOUR sleeping giant…. We will one day rise to the top just like we did from the 40’s to the 80’s….
    As State fans, we must rise and support coach Lowe and his staff through the bad and the good days… GO STATE!!
    -Troy

  14. Wolfpack4ever 11/13/2006 at 9:27 PM #

    wufpaxno1 Says: “This is the man (Norm Chow) who made Philip Rivers who he is today”

    Chow is a great O coach but “made Philip Rivers the man he is today”? That might be shorting Steve Rivers just a bit.

  15. redfred2 11/13/2006 at 9:52 PM #

    Tarheel86

    “we sold out for an EXHIBITION game”

    I have to agree with you on this one. Everyone wants to yell and scream about Herb Sendek, good, bad or indifferent, then we finally have a new coach just starting his career at NCSU, and no one thinks it’s important enough to make the effort to go to the ballgame! I took one of daughter’s out of school early in order for her to witness what I thought might be an exciting event, we drove four hours, and walked into a almost empty RBC at 6:45. I was very disappointed and disenchanted with NC State and what I did not see in the RBC last Friday night. Like I said earlier, I could have taken my daughter to the UNC game, but I didn’t want to lose her over to the Heels for good, after that embarrassment in Raleigh.

  16. pack99 11/13/2006 at 10:00 PM #

    Maybe LF learned a little about how to perform a coaching search

  17. Woof Wolf 11/13/2006 at 10:09 PM #

    LF learned…???

  18. NCSU4LIFE 11/13/2006 at 11:02 PM #

    The only thing that would top the Davis hire in Chapel Hill would be a hiring of Cowher a year later in Raleigh. Only a dream though…………….only a dream.

  19. Wolf-n-Atl 11/13/2006 at 11:10 PM #

    speaking of poor attendance, anyone notice all the empty seats at Charlotte in the MNF game?

  20. E-RO 11/13/2006 at 11:18 PM #

    “And for the record…Mac Brown did not want to leave Carolina. In fact, he was convinced he could compete for a national championship here.”

    I’m pretty sure that if he didn’t want to leave, he would still be in that light shade of blue instead of a much more fashionable burnt orange.

  21. wufpaxno1 11/13/2006 at 11:20 PM #

    4ever,

    No one can short Phillip Rivers. I have no doubt that he will develope into one of, if not “The” greatest Q.B.’s the NFL has ever seen. I do not mean to take anything from Philip, his father, or anyone else that has had a strong influence on his career. But Norm took him from a raw talent that most college coaches wanted to make into a tight end, and started him on the path to where he is today. And Philip is not the only one, there was Ty Detmer, Carson Palmer, and Matt Leinart to name a few. But maybe I should refraise that to developed him into the Quarterback he is today.

  22. chilly water 11/13/2006 at 11:37 PM #

    Lee fowler is a really bad athletic director, i know that much. REALLY BAD.

  23. blpack 11/14/2006 at 12:21 AM #

    Good hire for UNC-ch, but I too think it is a temporary thing. You can’t win long term in CH. It’s a basketball school and there is nothing wrong with that. I wish them 2 more losses this season and 4-8 next.

  24. wufpack 11/14/2006 at 12:28 AM #

    How full was the Dean Dome during Doh’s down years? It was even more empty than Kenan is every Saturday. I’m not saying we’re going to be that bad, I don’t think we are, but a lot of people believe we will. Not exactly fair to compare the attendance for a top-ranked team with the one picked dead last in the league, I don’t care if there is a new coach. I guaran-damn-tee you that if we were preseason top-5, the demand for our tickets would be every bit that of UNC’s.

  25. class of 63 11/14/2006 at 1:27 AM #

    Glad UNC is getting Jeff Bowden as their OC. Will keep him from coming here.
    understand FSU booster club will pay 1/2 his salary if they keep him 4 years

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