UNC head football coach Larry Fedora announced Wednesday, on National Signing Day, the addition of 19 new recruits.
Fedora—fresh off an 11-win season and a contract extension—used this season’s success to help bring in the first full recruiting class of his five-year tenure in Chapel Hill.
The Tar Heels, who had seven other football commits enroll in January, filled all 26 scholarships available to them–as many of the nation’s top high school players waited until the last opportunity to declare their college intentions.
Andre Smith (56) saw significant playing time at linebacker in 2015 as a true freshman under Gene Chizik. (Photo by Smith Cameron Photography)
Some players, such as quarterback Chazz Surratt—North Carolina’s Gatorade Player of the Year—had already made their intentions known for months.
But for others, like cornerback K.J. Sails (the last to announce his decision on Wednesday) Fedora had to show that this team was capable of winning at a high level.
“There were some guys we were still closing on those last couple of months,” Fedora said at his press conference Wednesday.
“So every single one of those wins, every little bit of positive buzz that was going on around the state, or when you talk about the week of the [ACC] championship game where you turned on the TV and it was nothing but ‘North Carolina, North Carolina, North Carolina,” he continued. “Every recruit sees that.”
One of the main forces behind UNC’s incredible 2015 campaign was the hiring of defensive coordinator Gene Chizik, a national champion as both a head coach and an assistant.
In his first year, Chizik took over a defense that ranked as one of the nation’s worst and turned them into the nation’s most improved. The result was not just more wins, but also more interest from high-schoolers—as 16 of UNC’s incoming recruits play on the defensive side of the ball.
“Most of the recruits that we entertained, starting back a year ago when I got here, were guys that really already had a familiarity with North Carolina,” Chizik said. “I think they were all waiting to see, where is this program going?
“Because we were selling hope.”
Ross Martin of 247Sports.com discussed UNC’s recruiting class with WCHL’s Aaron Keck.
Now that the 2015 team has set a standard for Fedora and Chizik, strictly selling hope is no longer an option.
After matching the school’s record for single season wins in their first year together, there isn’t much room for improvement outside of winning championships. So now it’s about getting kids to buy in to the belief that the Tar Heels can turn 2015 into the norm, one year at a time.
“Gene delivered on the promises that everybody was making when he came,” Fedora said. “All the kids out there see that. They see the improvement. They’re like, ‘Well OK, let’s make the same improvement next year.’”
The one obstacle besides wins and losses that’s hampered Fedora on the recruiting trail at UNC has been the threat of NCAA sanctions due to the academic scandal.
With talented returning players like tailback Elijah Hood returning to play with the 2016 class , the future is bright for Fedora’s program. (Smith Cameron Photography)
While the rulings in the case aren’t expected to be delivered until the spring, Fedora took the opportunity to let everyone know now that the days of it affecting his team are over.
“I really believe that cloud that’s been hanging over our head for the previous four years has dissipated,” Fedora said. “It’s not there. It’s not like it was.
“Even though I think people still try to use that out there, I just think people are tired of hearing about it,” he continued. “And they know there’s been a lot of ‘crying wolf’ about what’s gonna happen—and that none of those things has happened.
“So they feel comfortable with what we’re saying.”
If that proves to be true, then all signs point to a bright future for UNC football—possibly the most prolific stretch in program history–given all the talent returning to play next year with the 26 incoming freshmen.
“Winning helps in every aspect of the program, but definitely in recruiting,” Fedora said. “And I think toward the end of the year you felt that bump, and I think you’re gonna feel that bump into the 2017 class, and into the ’18 class.”
Notable:
- Fedora said he would be fine if Surratt, who also plays basketball for East Lincoln High School in Denver, NC, wanted to try and walk-on for UNC’s team under Roy Williams on top of his quarterback duties.
- Each of the recruits texted in a picture of their signed letters of intent. It was the first time in his career, Fedora said, that a fax machine was not used during the process.
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