Months after speculation that Butch Davis might bolt Chapel Hill to become the coach for Arkansas" North Carolina finally saw someone from the football coaching staff jump ship.
Defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano resigned Monday morning to take a position with the NFL's Baltimore Ravens - the third different National Football League team he will have coached.
""I appreciate everything Chuck did to help us improve our defense last season" Tar Heel head coach Butch Davis said in a released statement. He has a great opportunity to return to the NFL" and I wish him the best.""
With Pagano at the helm in 2007" UNC's defensive unit showed marked improvement after a 2006 season that saw the Tar Heels ranked 92nd in total defense (368.3 yards allowed per game). This season the Tar Heels improved to 35th (349.8).
Pagano's landing in Chapel Hill reunited him with Davis for whom he served as defensive coordinator at Miami from 1995 to 2000 and defensive backs coach with the Cleveland Browns from 2001 to 2004.
Pagano's new position in Baltimore will reunite him with former pupils Ray Lewis and Ed Reed whom he coached at Miami.
Pagano-led secondaries regularly set the standard in the League. In 2003 Cleveland led the NFL in interceptions with 33 - 28 of which came from Pagano's defensive backs.
After Davis' departure from Cleveland in 2004 Pagano sought new employment. And it didn't take long for him to find it as he was named the Oakland Raiders' defensive backs coach where he served from 2005 to 2006.
In his final season in Oakland the Raiders allowed an NFL-best 150.8 yards per game through the air.
His specific role on the Ravens' staff has not been announced but history suggests that he will be involved with defensive backs.
As far as filling the void Pagano left at UNC" Davis said there is no timetable for naming a replacement.
""Finding someone who is the right fit with our staff and players is my top priority.""
Contact the Sports Editorat sports@unc.edu.
