UNC Coaching Hunt: 5 potential candidates for Tar Heels head coaching spot ft Bill Belichick

The North Carolina Tar Heels (6-6, 3-5 ACC) fired coach Mack Brown last month after the team stood near the bottom of the Atlantic Coast Conference following a loss to North Carolina State on Sunday. With his departure, Freddie Kitchens took over as the interim coach for the team's bowl games.

Amid the preparations for the postseason, the Tar Heels are also on the hunt for Brown's replacement. Here are the five potential candidates who could take over the program starting next season.

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Five potential coaching candidates for the North Carolina Tar Heels

#1 Bill Belichick

One of the hottest candidates for UNC is former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick. He is regarded as one of the greatest coaches of all time and has led the NFL team to six Super Bowl championships. He left the Patriots after the 2023 season and has been out of the coaching sphere since.

According to Ian Rapoport on Thursday, Bill Belichick has already interviewed for the vacant spot at UNC. Belichick has never coached at the collegiate level, but given his experience and accolades, he could be a hire that could change the fate of the Tar Heels entirely in the coming days.

#2 Jon Sumrall

Tulane Green Wave coach Jon Sumrall is another top target for UNC in its hunt. After two seasons with Troy, he joined Tulane this year and is gearing up to compete in the American Athletic Conference Championship game against the Army Black Nights on Friday.

According to sports columnist, Jeff Duncan, Sumrall is expected to speak with Tar Heels officials after the championship game ends. If the negotiations work out, then he might make a swift exit from the AAC to join the ACC Conference with UNC.

#3 Matt Campbell

Another potential candidate who has been making waves in UNC's coaching hunt is Iowa State's Matt Campbell. He took over the Cyclones in 2016 and has won three Big 12 Coach of the Year awards.

This season, Campbell has helped Iowa State secure a berth in the Big 12 title game against newcomers Arizona State on Saturday. However, it is highly unlikely that Campbell would want to switch jobs after securing his best campaign so far with the Cyclones.

#4 Dan Mullen

Another potential candidate for the North Carolina Tar Heels is ex-Florida coach Dan Mullen. His final coaching gig was back in 2021 with the Gators.

He then shifted his interest to broadcasting and has been serving as a college football analyst. However, the Tar Heels will have to come up with an exciting incentive for Mullen to leave his television job and make a comeback in coaching.

During his four-season stint with the Florida Gators, he put up a 34-15 overall record.

#5 Glenn Schumann

Glenn Schumann serves as the defensive coordinator of the Georgia Bulldogs under Kirby Smart. He has been a part of the program since 2016 and has worked his way up the ranks. Schumann began as the inside linebackers coach before being promoted to the co-defensive coordinator in 2019.

He has been linked to other coaching jobs over the years. Last season, he decided to stay with the Bulldogs despite being a candidate to serve as the Philadelphia Eagles' DC in the NFL. It will be interesting to see if he ultimately decides to part ways with Smart and begin his own coaching journey with UNC.