More big names are leaving the UNC football program, but this time it’s not players.

Carolina offensive coordinator Phil Longo, who joined the coaching staff with head coach Mack Brown in 2019, is leaving to take the same position with Wisconsin. UNC offensive line coach Jack Bicknell, Jr., who joined the staff in 2021, is reportedly going with him. Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports first reported the news Wednesday evening.

“There is no way to depart from a place as special as UNC without it feeling bittersweet,” Longo told Andrew Jones of Tar Heel Illustrated. “Sometimes it’s just time, and so we are excited as a family to join the Big Ten at the University of Wisconsin.”

Under Longo, UNC has run some of the most prolific offenses in the country, led by quarterbacks Sam Howell and Drake Maye. The Tar Heels ranked 15th in the country this season in total offense, averaging nearly 500 yards per game and scoring 30 points nine times. The offense ranked 12th in 2019, fifth in 2020 and 10th in 2021.

Several of Longo’s offensive playmakers have gone on to be drafted into the NFL: Howell, running backs Javonte Williams, Michael Carter and Ty Chandler, and receivers Dyami Brown and Dazz Newsome. Maye and receiver Josh Downs are likely to hear their names called as well.

Under Bicknell, UNC’s offensive line showed marked improvement in 2022. After allowing a league-worst 49 sacks last season, the unit allowed just 38 this season.

This is the second straight year the Carolina football program will have a coordinator opening, as defensive coordinator Jay Bateman departed following the 2021 season and was replaced by Gene Chizik. In an interesting coincidence, Seth Littrell, who served as offensive coordinator on the 2015 team which won the Coastal Division, was recently fired from his head coaching position at North Texas, which he had held since leaving Chapel Hill.

 

Featured image via Inside Carolina/Jim Hawkins

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