Sports Timothy Rapp @@TRappaRT Featured Columnist IV
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The North Carolina Tar Heels need to now not shifting ahead with head football coach Mack Brown after the conclusion of the 2024 season, and may per chance presumably presumably be tapping the Pittsburgh Steelers for his alternative with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.
“Reality is [UNC] reached out on preliminary call,” Smith stated on Thursday, in step with ESPN’s Brooke Pryor. “I uncover it irresistible, cherish that region. But that’s now not my focal level. I mean I’ve bought one amongst basically the most efficient jobs in football ultimate now. There’s plenty to be stated too about [how you] can not save a imprint on non-public and professional happiness, which I in point of fact beget right here.” Smith persisted:
I’ve bought an huge job right here. Cherish it right here in Pittsburgh. [I] doubtlessly [have] a special mindset than I had five, four years ago the set any head job, I doubtlessly would’ve walked there to rob it. Now my level of view’s diversified, and while you beget one thing appropriate like I bought right here in Pittsburgh ultimate now, family loves it right here. I love the working setting, cherish being a Steeler. Bruce Feldman of The Athletic first reported Wednesday that “One potentially keen choice with very actual ties at North Carolina is Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, who we hear has some traction with key folks in Chapel Hill.”
Smith done at UNC as an offensive lineman and additionally began his teaching occupation as a graduate assistant for the Tar Heels below John Bunting in 2006. He transitioned to the NFL from there as a defensive quality assistant for Washington (2007-08), a defensive intern for Ole Leave out (2010) and worked his arrangement up in the Tennessee Titans teaching personnel between 2011-20, eventually spending two seasons as the crew’s offensive coordinator.
He then became hired to be the Atlanta Falcons’ head coach, compiling a 21-30 tale with no playoff appearances. After he became fired in Atlanta, Mike Tomlin hired him as the crew’s offensive coordinator this season, and each Justin Fields and Russell Wilson beget looked improved in his plot.
Granted, Smith’s offenses beget never been juggernauts. As a head coach or offensive coordinator, those devices beget executed top-10 in yardage factual as soon as and top-10 in scoring twice out of six seasons. The Steelers contemptible 18th in yardage and 14th in sides this year.
There’s additionally the request of whether he may per chance presumably presumably also unbiased additionally be a program-builder on the college degree, the set recruiting is arguably as major as Xs and Os. Or whether he would desire to leave the NFL in the first region.
Barrett Sallee 🇺🇸 @BarrettSallee North Carolina is a drowsing big in the ACC. It will probably presumably presumably soundless be an annual conference title contender pic.twitter.com/ATA17xqZDY
Kevin Negandhi @KevinNegandhi When @CoachMackBrown got right here support to restore respectability at North Carolina, this technique had obtained a total of 5 video games the previous 2 years. In his return @UNCFootball has obtained a minimum of 6 video games in each season. He’s a HoF coach and a ultimate higher human. Vital cherish to Mack and Sally.
North Carolina—which has long gone 44-32 in Brown’s 2nd tenure as head coach nonetheless has never emerged as a national energy in football—will probably cast a wide rating in its survey for a alternative and “preferred to enter the hunt market this iciness in prefer to a year from now, when it is anticipated there shall be extra open Strength 4 jobs and thus extra competitors for high candidates,” per Feldman.