Phil Longo, Gene Chizik connected to Charlotte opening?
As the UNC football program wraps up its second bye week and preps for a big showdown against Pitt on Saturday, the spirits are high in Chapel Hill for the team. Especially on offense.
UNC’s offense has been among the best in the ACC so far, backed by quarterback Drake Maye. The quarterback has been fantastic so far, running Phil Longo’s Air Raid offense smoothly.
Longo has figured it out this year, pairing a good quarterback with his style of offense. However, could Longo catch the attention of programs that need a head coach? It’s possible and already he’s being connected to one job.
The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman wrote on Charlotte’s opening after firing Will Healy. And in the report, he suggests that Longo is among the group of assistants that is expected to be in the mix:
Longo was a finalist at UCF and has been an excellent hire for Mack Brown since coming back to Chapel Hill. Longo played a big role in QB Drake Maye’s fantastic debut season. UNC is No. 7 in the country in yards per play after finishing No. 6 last year and No. 3 the year before that. The guy knows how to move the ball and how to put up points.
In addition to Longo, defensive coordinator Gene Chizik was also mentioned as a candidate but is less likely:
Chizik won a national title as Auburn’s head coach and would be a steady leader. His defense has really struggled this year in his return to the college game, with the Heels ranking last in the ACC in defense. The 60-year-old is 38-38 all time as a head coach.
We are in the middle of a fun season so far in Chapel Hill and it’s no guarantee that either leave after this year. But UNC fans should probably get used to hearing Longo’s name pop up in coaching rumors.
