When it comes to repeating as Coastal Division champions this season, Larry Fedora and the UNC football team will have their work cut out for them.

“I don’t think there’s any doubt about,” Fedora said. “The Coastal Division just got a lot stronger, just by the coaches that were hired and the pedigrees they have behind them.”

On top of facing perennial ACC powerhouse Florida State at Tallahassee and traveling to Atlanta to take on Georgia, the Tar Heels will also have to deal with the rejuvenated Miami and Virginia Tech programs.

Miami hired Mark Richt, who led Georgia to two SEC titles and a 145-51 record in 15 seasons.

Virginia Tech brought in Justin Fuente, who turned Memphis from a 4-8 team to a 10-3 team in just three seasons.

“It’s pretty amazing the strength of this league as you look at the coaching staffs,” Fedora said. “That makes not only the Coastal Division stronger but the ACC stronger.”

But Fedora said he thinks his guys are up to the challenge.

They locked up the Coastal Division last year before falling to then-undefeated Clemson in the ACC Championship game.

Fedora said that experience is helping his team get ready for the first kickoff in September.

“You can see in all of their eyes that they’ve tasted it,” he said. “They just got a little taste of what it’s like and so they know what it’s going to take to get there.”

Right now the Tar Heels are working to incorporate expected starter Mitch Trubisky into an offense that returns star running back Elijah Hood and deep threat Mack Hollins.

“They’re aware of that,” Fedora said. “They’re excited about it. They’ve got a pretty good blueprint of what they need to do. Time will tell.”

Related Stories
‹
Chansky's Notebook: Terrible Timing
What was Larry Fedora thinking? Long-time observers like to joke about the curse of Carolina football that derails a promising program. Bill Dooley left when Virginia Tech offered him the athletic directorship and UNC wouldn’t. Dick Crum was fired for wearing out his welcome. Mack Brown left when Texas gave him the ranch. And we […]
UNC Football Signs Talented 2018 Recruiting Class - Defense
Despite a poor year on the field, Larry Fedora and UNC are putting the finishing touches on a talented recruiting class. Part of that success can be attributed to the collection of players that the Tar Heels signed on defense, which will help the team rebound in the 2018 season and build for the future. […]
ACC Football Coaches Release All-Conference Teams, Eight Tar Heels Recognized
Keeping with the giving spirit of the holidays, the ACC football coaches announced their All-Conference teams on Thursday–the third different set of All-ACC honors to be handed out over the last two weeks. The conference itself released the first round of teams last week, while the Associated Press followed suit on Wednesday. In the most recent […]
UNC Football Heading to El Paso for the Sun Bowl
Just over a month ago, the UNC football team was well on its way to carving out a spot in the ACC Championship Game–and potentially a place in the historic Orange Bowl Game. Losses to Duke and NC State over the final three weeks of the season put a wrench in those plans, however, as […]
Art’s Angle: Fedora’s Five
Larry Fedora is now 40-24 through five seasons at UNC with his fourth bowl game still to come in 2016. But, sadly, for Tar Heel fans he also has amassed a record of bad endings. While the current 8-4 season gives Fedora four winning teams in five tries, it is a bad year around here […]
UNC Preparing For College Football Signing Day
The wait is over. College football’s National Signing Day will kick off February 3. 24/7 Sports’ Ross Martin previews UNC’s Signing Day    UNC currently has 17 players committed to sign Wednesday, and seven players in their 2016 recruiting class have already enrolled. They are still waiting to hear back from a few other players, including […]
Early Enrollees Get Head Start Before Signing Day
With college football’s National Signing Day quick approaching, eight members of the UNC football team have already shown their commitment to the university. The newcomers were so eager to begin their Carolina careers that they started college early, enrolling in January. Seven of the eight finished high school in December, while one transferred from junior […]
Defense Helps Build Tar Heels Into Winner
Eighty, as in the number of points the Tar Heels scored in Saturday’s 80-20 win over Old Dominion, is remarkable to be sure. Another number associated with the Tar Heels, 90, might be even more impressive, however. It’s the total points the team has allowed in its last five games, all wins, as UNC climbed […]
Which Tar Heels are Going Where in the NFL? Check Out Our Full List.
Check out the full list of which UNC players are headed to the pros! NFL draftees, as well as undrafted free agents who sign contracts with pro teams, will be added to this list. RB Omarion Hampton – Los Angeles Chargers (R1, No. 22 overall) The Los Angeles Chargers made Hampton the first Tar Heel […]
UNC Football 2025 Spring Transfer Portal Window Tracker: Arrivals
The spring window of the college football transfer portal opened Wednesday, April 16 and will close Friday, April 25. Players who intend to transfer must enter their names into the portal before the window closes, but do not need to have selected their next school by then. Here is a summary of which players have […]
›