This unprecedented 70-41 loss was so bad, so shocking in the worst of ways, that it’s left North Carolina head football coach Larry Fedora questioning everything.
A dejected Fedora took the blame for his team’s performance after East Carolina put a beatdown on the Tar Heels Saturday in Greenville, stressing that he’s the one who needs to step up.
“Reevaluating the job that I do, that’s what I’m concerned with right now because I’ve gotta do a better job,” he said. “I’ve gotta do a better job with the staff, I’ve gotta do a better job with the players and if we start at the top, then we’ll work our way down.”
It does start with the head coach. And UNC’s case is no different.
But the players still have to show up, and just behind Fedora, the defense is to blame for Saturday’s loss.
UNC’s defense gave up a record-high 70 points and 789 yards to the fast-paced Pirates led by standout veterans Shane Carden and Justin Hardy.
After missing 34 tackles against San Diego State two weeks ago, Fedora and the defense proved that even after two weeks of preparation thanks to a bye week, they still didn’t have the fundamentals down against ECU. Yes, the Pirates have a standout quarterback in Carden that many don’t credit enough. And yes, the Pirates are certainly a top-25-caliber team, one that has a shot to be consistently ranked after this week.
But that doesn’t make up for the fact that the UNC defense allowed nine touchdowns — five rushing, four passing — to a team that was still missing its leading receiver.
