Following that sappy post, it's time to get back to what we do best here: college football opinions, sometimes intelligent and insightful, with a sharp Carolina Tar Heel bias. After a disappointing 2016 8-5 campaign where Carolina couldn't find rhythm and a dreadful 3-9 season in 2017 littered with attrition, there seems to be some passive optimism that 2018 should provide an uptick in excitement. Let's explore to see the last times Carolina had a "dreadful season" and whether or not the program bounced back.
1988 and 1989 under Mack Brown - Both Seasons 1-10
Mack Brown posted the two worst football seasons in modern history his first two seasons at the helm as Carolina's Head Ball Coach. In a time when cross-town rival Duke was at it's late 20th Century Peak under Spurrier, it was a tough time to root for the Heels. Fortunately the off season prior 1990 brought Carolina the talent that helped Mack turn the program around and string together what would become the most prominent football years Carolina's ever had. 6-4-1 and 7-4 preceded Carolina's first bowl game under the Mack, when Carolina won the Peach Bowl and finished 9-3.
1999 under Carl Torbush - 3-8
Carolina hit a valley like they had a decade prior in Carl Torbush's second complete season, following up a somewhat disappointing 7-5 1998 campaign. This team, like 2017's Carolina squad was riddled with injuries. Rumors are school officials wanted to fire him following this season but player and fan support kept him around for another season. After another rough season in 2000, Torbush's time in Chapel Hill was up. 6-5 was not enough to keep around the man who led Carolina's wrecking ball, NFL talent filled defenses of the mid and late 1990s.
2003 Under John Bunting - 2-10
Bunting, a Carolina alum, led one of the most inconsistent eras in the history of Carolina Football. His first season at the helm produced an exciting 8-5 stint that included a huge upset of then 6th ranked Florida State. His 2001 was followed up with 3-9 in 2002 and 2-10 in 2003. Bunting assured folks around the program that they were on the right path and for at least one year, he walked the walk. Under Darian Durant, Bunting's squad posted a 6-6 record and earned a spot in the Continental Tire Bowl.
2006 Under John Bunting - 3-9
The 2006 Campaign was the final under Bunting's tutelage. His departure opened the door for Carolina to make the biggest name hire since the Mack, when the Heels brought on board Butch Davis. Davis, who built Miami back into a national power in the late 1990s, had just become available after a several year stint in the NFL. Butch had a new challenge ahead of him: to make Carolina a name.
2007 under Butch Davis - 4 -8*
I have to put an asterisk on that record for, while on paper, the record appears dismal, there was so much excitement and upward trajectory surrounding the Carolina program. Carolina lost 6 of 8 games by a touchdown or less and had just landed a top 10 recruiting class the previous February. Excitement was high for the program and Butch was building a foundation.
2017 under Larry Fedora - 3-9
Just two season removed from an ACC Coastal title and near upset of National Runner Up Clemson Tigers, Carolina sputtered to a 3-9 finish, which included 6 game skid in the heart of the schedule. The reasons for the set back of year mounted throughout the season and off season. Carolina saw wicked attrition on the offensive side of the ball from 2016, faced a plague of season ending injuries from 75% of the original 24 starters, and struggled with coaching cohesiveness as coaches shared play calling and formation duties. Carolina was forced to combat the attrition and youth with ramping back the offense and defense and focus on fundamentals. The team could barely tread water.
So where does this program go from here?
Of of the best ways to gauge a program trajectory in the college football realm is a combination of the following: previous results, returning experience and talent level, incoming/future talent level and player development through recruiting and coaching. Since Fedora set foot in Chapel Hill, he and his staff have preached recruiting the right type and best talent available and developing them through their system. His recruiting rankings at Carolina to date are as follows (Thanks 24/7 Sports for your composite rankings)
2012 (inherited class) - 41st nationally/6th in the ACC
2013 (first true class) - 28th/5th
2014 - 30th/4th
2015 - 28th/4th
2016 - 32nd/5th
2017 - 29th/5th
2018 - 20th/4th
2019 (current) - 64th/13th...
Despite Carolina's worst season since 1999, Carolina posted their best recruiting ranking since Larry set foot in Chapel Hill. Most of this was built off of the peak years during Larry's stint in 2015 and 2016, where Carolina was at the top of the ACC Coastal. However, sort of like how Carolina trailed off in the 2016 season and plummeted in 2017, next years recruiting rankings have taken a hit. Carolina only has two commits from the Top 50 recruits in the State of North Carolina, while state has several. If Carolina wants to get back to the level of play we saw in 2015 and parts of 2016, they have to get their recruiting back in order. At least for 2018 and 2019, Carolina should benefit the talent that's been brought in and developed the past few season. A positive, all of last year's suspensions yielded opportunities for Carolina to gain experience across the returning the two deep. The negative, 13 players were suspended for trying to make money off of their namesake (GOD FORBID) which was mostly comprised of returning starters (. Early on, Carolina will have to overcome the suspensions handed down and once again develop young, inexperienced talent. Carolina is able to stagger the suspensions to minimize the damage early on. With a September that includes roadies at Cal, ECU and The U and a home date against a hot UCF program, Carolina will need players to play above their heads as they ease into another season.
No comments:
Post a Comment