Out with the old, in with the new.
For the North Carolina football team, the saying strikes close to home after a decade plagued by NCAA violations, more than a few losing seasons and two different scandals.
Heading into the 2010 season, the Tar Heels were coming off of an 8-5 campaign after losing their bowl game for the second consecutive year. In July of that year, the NCAA started investigating UNC for violations involving improper benefits provided by agents to current players.
As the NCAA continued its investigation, 13 players were suspended for UNC’s season opener against LSU, a 30-24 loss.
In October 2010, three players were ruled permanently ineligible due to improperly accepting gifts from sports agents. Five more players were later found guilty of accepting gifts and/or inappropriate academic assistance.
Butch Davis, who joined UNC in 2006, was fired in July 2011 and by September, UNC decided to vacate its wins in 2008 and 2009, marking the program's only “winless” seasons.
The program decided to reduce its athletic scholarships by three, served two years probation and paid a $50,000 fine. However, the NCAA upped the punishment to three years probation, a postseason ban of one year and a reduction of UNC’s athletic scholarships by 15.
Larry Fedora took over the team in 2012 as the Tar Heels’ 34th head coach. During his first season, despite being ineligible for the ACC title, Fedora led the team to an 8-4 season.
Fedora and the Tar Heels started off the 2013 season 1-5 before rebounding with a 5-1 record in their last six games and finishing the season with a win over Cincinnati in the Belk Bowl. An inconsistent defense cost UNC its season in 2014, giving up over 497 yards.