Larry Fedora hopes his passion will trump pessimism.

UNC’s football coach met the media at Pinehurst Tuesday and was asked immediately about telling recruits what HE thinks about the future of the Tar Heels. Fedora is saying he is confident that the NCAA won’t keep his team from playing as many games as it deserves to play.

Fedora has been getting commitments from kids who are excited about their four or five years in Chapel Hill. Obviously, they think the future is bright or they wouldn’t have committed. Fedora isn’t even talking much about the NCAA, unless asked; he’s leaving that to rival recruiters. He’s going positive about all UNC has to offer on and off he field.

What else is he to do? Well, maybe you should sign at Duke or State because we’re afraid of the big, bad NCAA? The smart money is on no sanctions that affect the current Carolina team. Why would they? These kids had nothing to do with what went on here in the past. Fedora is the new coach looking only forward.

The 2015 Tar Heels actually got three votes to win the ACC championship and even more to capture the Coastal Division. They have most of their offense returning and a defense that only has one way to go under new coordinator Gene Chizik. There is a lot to be optimistic about, and Fedora is an optimist.  He knows only one speed, so why not show confidence and present his vision of Carolina football? Other schools may be trying to dissuade kids from coming – that’s what they are hanging their hats on, Fedora says – but he’s spinning a far more positive story. And succeeding. Imagine what he will do when the NCAA cloud is finally lifted?

Fedora asked for, and received, a seven-year contract when he took the UNC job after his last regular season at Southern Miss. He knew it might be rough sledding at first and it has gotten progressively tougher since going 8-4 and tying for the Coastal championship in 2012. The team bottomed out going 6-7 last year and, frankly, looked like some players quit the last two games. That toasted Fedora.

Until someone says something different, the Tar Heels have everything to play for in 2015. His job is to keep his eye on the ball and beat South Carolina in Charlotte on September 3. If so, it will be hard to hear anything else above all that noise.

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