After No. 6-seeded North Carolina’s unexpected first-round ouster from the NCAA Men’s Tournament on Thursday night, that 82-78 overtime defeat to No. 11-seeded VCU might be the final nail in the coffin for Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis.
If North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham decides that Davis’s time in Chapel Hill, N.C., is through, then there are some potential candidates out there.
Right now, the college basketball world likely has a number of coaches who would love to coach at one of the sport’s blueblood programs.
Why Alabama Head Coach Nate Oats Makes Sense
Oats has been a consistent winner with the Crimson Tide, taking Alabama to the NCAA Tournament a few times. He’s also a coach who understands the modern pressures of an NIL-filled college sports scene.
But he might be just hitting a brick wall with those financial constraints at Alabama. The Crimson Tide are in this season’s NCAA Men’s Tournament. Oats coached the team to a 23-9 overall record and a No. 4 seed.
If North Carolina wanted to have a proven winner take over for Davis, then Oats might just be their man.
Could NC State Head Coach Will Wade Move to Chapel Hill?
Wade helped the Wolfpack reach the NCAA Men’s Tournament this season, but they lost in a First Four matchup to Texas, 68-66, on Tuesday. Wade led NC State to a 20-14 overall record this season.
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Now, Wade did run into trouble when he was the head coach at LSU. Yet, consider what he has accomplished in just the past few seasons. During his tenures at Chattanooga, VCU, LSU, McNeese, and NC State, Wade has led his teams to eight NCAA Tournament appearances in 12 seasons.
North Carolina and Cunningham would have to do their due diligence around Wade’s past. If everything checks out, though, Wade might get a phone call.
North Carolina Assistant Coach Brad Frederick’s Internal Ties
Before dismissing Frederick, there are some things that set him apart from other candidates. For one, Frederick actually played college basketball at North Carolina under the legendary Dean Smith and Bill Guthridge.
Frederick has tenure as an assistant coach, too. He’s been a part of the Tar Heels’ basketball program for more than a decade. Frederick served on Roy Williams’ staff in Chapel Hill before working under Davis.
It matters a lot in North Carolina circles if a coach has previous ties to the program. Also, Frederick has a reputation for being a solid scout for future college players.
Frederick played a major role in bringing Caleb Wilson to North Carolina. So he’s got that going for him.
Baylor Head Coach Scott Drew’s Championship Pedigree
Drew won a national championship as Baylor’s head coach back in 2021. He’s been there for some time and was even in the running for Kentucky’s head coaching position when John Calipari left there for Arkansas.
Last season, Drew led the Bears to a 20-win season. This season? It wasn’t as good as they finished 16-16 and out of the NCAA Tournament.
Maybe the new landscape of college sports, with its NIL infusion, isn’t helping Drew’s case. Would he be open to getting a fresh start with North Carolina? It’s hard to believe that he’d turn down a chance to coach there if it becomes a reality.
Florida Head Coach Todd Golden: The Cutting-Edge Candidate
Don’t sleep on Golden at all. He led the Gators to a national championship in 2025, and Florida earned one of the NCAA Men’s Tournament’s No. 1 seeds this season.
Golden is a coach who has learned how to make the transfer portal work for him and his team. He has a knack for being on the cutting edge of college basketball trends. With his success at Florida, Golden just might be the biggest name on the block.
The Gators play No. 16 seed Prairie View in a first-round game on Friday. Having watched what happened to North Carolina on Thursday, the onus is probably on Golden to make sure his Gators are ready to play.
Who knows? He just might leave Florida for North Carolina if Cunningham decides that he’s the man to replace Davis.
