New report shows why the North Carolina Tar Heels have no choice but to move on from Hubert Davis
Change could be on the horizon for the North Carolina Tar Heels.
The North Carolina Tar Heels are reportedly weighing whether to move on from head coach Hubert Davis following UNC’s loss in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
North Carolina blew a 19 point lead to VCU in round one, falling 82-78 in overtime.
It’s the second straight season that UNC has bowed out of the tournament in the first round.
UNC has no choice but to move on from Hubert Davis
Davis gave Tar Heels fans some hope in his first year after taking over from Roy Williams.
North Carolina beat Duke (and Coach K) in the Final Four in 2022 before falling to Kansas in the national championship game. The Tar Heels blew a 15 point halftime lead in the championship game loss to Kansas, but the tourney run in year one bought Davis some equity with Carolina fans.
Over the last four seasons, though, it’s become clear that Davis doesn’t have what it takes to get the program back to the level it was under Williams and the late Dean Smith.
And a report from WRAL’s Pat Welter should be the last straw for Davis.
Welter reported that one college basketball agent told him that he doesn’t think players are attracted to playing for Davis. And that UNC doesn’t appear “special” with Davis leading the program.
Welter also reported that “lack of player development is a consistent criticism” that he hears from sources close to the program.
The Davis era hasn’t been quite as bad as the Matt Doherty era in the early 2000s — the 8-20 season in 2001-02 remains the worst season in UNC history — but it’s been nowhere close to the Carolina standard. And the intel from Welter shows why there shouldn’t be much hope that things will improve under Davis.
There’s no doubt that Davis is a beloved former player who is well thought of in Chapel Hill. But he’s not getting it done as a coach. And unless the Tar Heels want to continue to fade into the background as a national powerhouse, they have no choice but to make a change this offseason.
If a change is made, then it almost certainly means that Carolina will be hiring someone from outside the family for the first time in 65 years.
But hey, that may not be a bad thing. After all, Dean Smith was a Kansas guy.
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