Bye Bye Butch

The firing of Butch Davis occurred eight days before the start of preseason practice. By waiting until the season almost started to fire their coach the University of North Carolina has hurt the football program that they have worked so hard to build up during Butch Davis' tenure. The University and its boosters have put a lot of money into the program, building new facilities and upgrading their stadium in an attempt to boost their football program. When they fired Davis 37 days before the season started, they erased a lot of that hard work. 

The NCAA filed their report against UNC June 21, 2011. We learned that day of the football team's transgressions that will haunt their next few seasons. Since then nothing new has developed, at least not publicly. I thought at the time Butch Davis would lose his job pretty quickly but after a few weeks I assumed Butch was safe going into the season. That's why I was so surprised when Butch was fired on Wednesday, not just because of the time of year, but was also because nothing new has come out against the football program since June 21. There was more than a month between the time the NCAA's report came out and the day Butch Davis was fired. If UNC was going to make this coaching change it should have happened shortly after the report was released, not over a month later with eight days before practice. 

By moving the current Defensive Coordinator to Head Coach much of the day-to-day aspects of the team will not change but the overall look of the team will change. UNC has told recruits that the program will not be punished severely over the NCAA's findings but the firing of Davis shows that the University doesn't believe that to be the case. Recruiting will take a hit over the next few years. By firing Butch Davis they lost one of the best recruiters in the country. Also, lying to recruits about not getting in trouble with the NCAA will not do anything to help build relationships with recruits moving forward. The commitments they have already might stay on but over the next few years their reputation will be hurt. 

The University of North Carolina is one of the few universities that has a chance to be great at both major men's sports, basketball and football. Ohio State, Florida and Texas are athletic programs that could put forth championship level teams in both football and basketball. UNC has the alumni and money to invest to move into that upper echelon of athletic program but by their mishandling of Butch Davis they have put their football program back for the next few years.

Thank you for your continued support of The Sports Party. Enjoy the weekend.