Tommy Thigpen first met North Carolina coach John Bunting four years ago in the locker room of South Cobb High School in Austell, Ga., as both waited to speak to a recruit who would rush for 1,615 yards and 24 touchdowns during his senior year.
Thigpen never thought he’d coach Mahlon Carey, the recruit in question. Not only did he have little faith Carey would ever set foot on the campus of Bowling Green State, his employer at the time, but the then-cornerbacks coach wouldn’t have worked with the tailback regardless.
But in an ironic twist of fate, the chance meeting with Bunting created a chance for Thigpen, a three-time All-ACC linebacker at UNC, to return to his alma mater — and to coach a linebacking corps featuring converted tailback Mahlon Carey.
Bunting announced the hiring of Thigpen and wide receivers coach Dave Brock on Tuesday as part of a staff overhaul made necessary by the departures of two assistant coaches since the end of the season.
Along with the two additions to the staff, Bunting promoted John Gutekunst to assistant head coach, Marvin Sanders to defensive coordinator and Andr
