USA TODAY Sports thinks UNC should target SEC coach
· Yahoo Sports
We're just two days removed from the end of UNC's once-promising basketball season. After leading VCU by 19 points in the second half of each team's NCAA Tournament opener on Thursday, North Carolina lost 82-78 in overtime.
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The Tar Heels now have two straight seasons with first-round losses, which rightfully poses the question: how much longer will Hubert Davis last as head coach?
If North Carolina moves on from Davis, who will replace him at one of the most prestigious college basketball programs? If you ask USA TODAY Sports senior national college football writer Matt Hayes, UNC should hire Florida Gators head coach Todd Golden.
"Take the rare step and pay Golden like a football coach – or better yet, more than a football coach," Hayes said. "Offer $13-14 million a year over 10 years, and commit to $20 million annually in NIL funds (including private deals). It’s time to see just how serious North Carolina is about basketball.
"Golden can be in Carolina Blue for three decades if he wins and wants to hang around," Hayes continued. "He can win big and recreate the pecking order of legendary UNC coaches. The only option is Golden, whose choice will be building a legacy at Florida, or embracing the rebuild at arguably the most iconic brand in the sport. He’s young, knows how to reach players in the NIL-driven world and has proven he can build and develop rosters and win a national title."
Golden led Florida to its third National Championship in 2025 – and a 1-seed in this year's NCAA Tournament. The Gators will play Iowa on Sunday, facing off in a Second Round clash at 7:10 p.m.
Davis did so many great things for the Tar Heels, including leading them to a surprise appearance in the 2022 National Championship game, but his time in Chapel Hill is up. North Carolina has too much history to fall into its current state of underperformance.
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC basketball program should replace Hubert Davis with Todd Golden