(Smith Cameron Photography)

Only winning will take the heat off Larry Fedora.

Now that UNC and athletic director Bubba Cunningham has come out in support of Fedora, pressure remains on the Carolina football coach — just as it was the day before his ill-advised statements about the college game being under attack.

Though it wasn’t his intention, Fedora’s latest controversy may serve to keep him laser-focused on getting his underdog team to out-perform expectations for 2018. Most preseason polls have the Tar Heels near the bottom of the ACC Coastal Division. Only Virginia is getting more last-place votes.

Fedora’s dust-up may not make Nathan Elliott an All-ACC quarterback, but coaches in controversy tend to translate into unified effort by their teams. Additionally, the flack that Fed is getting across the country should make his players mad and pay closer attention during training camp that starts in a few weeks.

The truth is, nobody knows what the Heels have this season beyond a bunch of guys who played before their expected time due to the rash of injuries that sent Carolina spiraling to a 3-9 finish. Virginia coach Bronco Mendenhall claims his Cavaliers have “27 ACC-caliber players” on their roster, which might incentivize the rest of them to prove him wrong or they could all quit and prove him right.

Clearly, Carolina has the chance to exceed expectations after losing three or four games in 2017 that could have turned out differently in the fourth quarter. If Elliott or Chaz Surratt can be good game managers and there is unknown talent lurking in the backfield and at wide receiver, the Tar Heels have a chance to come out of the gate with road wins in their first two games.

UNC football fans are notoriously impatient, which makes the trips to Cal and East Carolina important to set the tone for when the home season starts on September 15 vs. self-proclaimed co-national champion Central Florida and its new coach trying to keep their unbeaten streak alive.

Coming home 2-0 would be ideal, but the statement game will be in Kenan against the Golden Knights, when the cheers for Fedora could replace whatever jeers are left.

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