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Another Bump in the Road for UNC Football: Assistant Suspended, Program Scrutiny Heats Up
Chapel Hill’s football scene seems to be navigating through increasingly choppy waters these days. Just when things couldn’t get much more interesting for the Tar Heels, reports are surfacing that one of the North Carolina program’s assistant coaches has been handed a suspension.
The coach in question is Armond Hawkins, the first-year secondary coach and recruiting analyst, who reportedly joined the Tar Heels alongside their defensive coordinator from Washington. According to Bruce Feldman of TheAthletic.com, Hawkins’ punishment stems from providing “extra benefits” – specifically, sideline passes to a game for a player’s family members. (Given the team’s recent performances, one has to wonder if those passes truly counted as a “benefit” or more of a front-row seat to the unfolding drama!)
Feldman’s report doesn’t clarify whether the head coach was aware of these extra benefits. However, allegations of this nature can certainly put a program’s leadership under a microscope, potentially even laying groundwork for a contract termination for cause, especially if this wasn’t an isolated incident.
It wouldn’t be surprising if conversations about the program’s future, and the possibility of a change at the top, are already being whispered behind closed doors, particularly given the hefty $20 million-plus buyout that would be owed if the head coach were to depart. There’s also speculation that a major donor might consider writing a substantial check to fund a full buyout, offering an escape from what some observers describe as another two years of dysfunction and disappointing results.
Ultimately, the financial cost of a buyout must be weighed against the potential long-term damage to the program and the university’s reputation if the current trajectory continues.
No matter how the pieces fall, it certainly feels like significant changes are brewing for North Carolina football, signaling a potentially dramatic shift in the coming months.