Larry Fedora fired by North Carolina after 7 seasons

North Carolina fired coach Larry Fedora on Sunday following a second straight nine-loss season.

"We appreciate all that Larry Fedora has done for us over the last seven years -- coming to Carolina in the midst of an NCAA case and bringing stability to our football program when we most needed it," athletic director Bubba Cunningham said in a statement. "Despite injuries, despite setbacks and hardships, Larry never made excuses. He focused his teams on overcoming adversity, and I deeply respect the way he persevered and led our program each day with integrity through some tough times. This was not an easy decision because of the deep affinity I have for Larry. It simply is time to take our football program in a new direction."

Fedora's current contract was set to run through 2022, and he has a buyout of just over $12 million (which is subject to mitigation should he find another coaching job). 

Fedora went 45-43 in his seven years in charge and took the Tar Heels to four straight bowl appearances, but their second consecutive season at the bottom of the ACC Coastal Division resulted in his departure.

UNC finished 2-9 (1-7 in conference play) after falling to NC State 34-28 in overtime Saturday. The team's only wins this season came against Pittsburgh on Sept. 22 and Western Carolina on Nov. 17.

Fedora took over the team in 2012, while the program was facing NCAA sanctions for improper benefits and academic fraud that led to the firing of Butch Davis. The Tar Heels went 8-4 in Fedora's first year while under a postseason ban.

The pinnacle of Fedora's time at Chapel Hill came in 2015, when UNC went 8-0 in ACC play before losing to top-ranked Clemson in the conference's championship game and finishing 15th in both the AP and coaches polls.

Among the top candidates to replace Fedora are Memphis' Mike Norvell (who worked with Cunningham at Tulsa), Troy's Neal Brown, Appalachian State's Scott Satterfield, North Texas' Seth Littrell (a former UNC offensive coordinator), Clemson co-offensive coordinator Tony Elliott, Maryland interim coach Matt Canada, Georgia defensive coordinator Mel Tucker and former Texas coach and current ESPN analyst Mack Brown (who coached at UNC from 1988 to '97).