A majority of those identifying themselves as North Carolina fans in a recent poll say they haven’t decided whether interim football coach Everett Withers should keep the job on a permanent basis.
Withers is 6-3 overall and 2-3 in the ACC after stepping in following Butch Davis’ firing in July. According to a Public Policy Polling survey of 615 North Carolina voters, including 243 UNC fans, conducted Oct. 27 to Oct. 31, 53 percent of Tar Heel fans haven’t formed an opinion yet on whether Withers should get the coaching job permanently.
Those who have an opinion of Withers have reacted positively. Thirty-nine percent approve of the job he’s doing, while eight percent disapprove, and 34 percent say he should keep the job while 14 percent have decided he should be replaced.
Withers has three games left in the regular season, beginning with Saturday’s visit to rival N.C. State, to make his case for the permanent job.
UNC fans are divided on the decision to fire Davis and chancellor Holden Thorp’s handling of the football program. Thirty-two percent agree with his firing, while 26 percent dissented. Meanwhile, 26 percent approved of Thorp’s handling of the football program and 26 percent disapproved.
Twenty-seven percent of UNC fans approve of Thorp’s overall work as chancellor, while 19 percent disapprove. And 19 percent of UNC fans polled say he should be fired, down from 23 percent in August.
Comments
doesnt really matter if...
Fri, 11/04/2011 - 12:42 — panic83unc wins this game, they will just have to vacate it anyways
If Withers can break the
Thu, 11/03/2011 - 19:15 — awdracerIf Withers can break the streak then they'll have to give him the job after they elect him as POPE. LOL!
Tomorrow's outcome will say
Thu, 11/03/2011 - 19:02 — BrowniegirlTomorrow's outcome will say alot!
Neither fans nor players ....
Thu, 11/03/2011 - 17:25 — AgentPierceNeither fans nor players are responsible for hiring/firing coaches. If hires don't turn out so well, fans are the first to whine. If administrators start listening to fans and players they will deserve the disaster that awaits from such.
Fans expecting "another Butch" type big-name hire will be disappointed.
POLL?
Thu, 11/03/2011 - 16:52 — hellfishThat poll must be BS ,i personally don't know 1 UNC fan that want's Wither's as a head coach after the stinker's VS GT/Clemson/UM...UNC will get one of the TOP assistant coach's Smart/Malzahn or a candidate with HC experience Chris Petersen or Urban Meyer come to mind...Won't be Wither's he blew his chance ,and UNC will not keep many of Davis's assistant's around as well ,so Wither's can look for another assistant's job...Head coach material he ain't.
Public Policy Polling
Thu, 11/03/2011 - 16:49 — AppUNCI wonder if the N&O would commission a poll to see if ANYONE from any school wants Carlton Tudor, J.P. Giglio, or any of the rest of the sports "writers" to stay. Every few year they amuse themselves with trying to run a coach out of town--Sendek, Davis, Lowe, and now O'Brien and Withers. Their self-righteous sarcasm about coaches not doing a great job is startling in face of the poorly written cut-and-paste jobs they churn out ad nauseum.
Reporter's
Thu, 11/03/2011 - 16:55 — hellfishI agree ,but i would ban them from campus for good if i were UNC or any other school.
Withers is a moron.
Thu, 11/03/2011 - 15:55 — willncsuUNC could do much better.
Where
Thu, 11/03/2011 - 15:24 — YAR8packWhere are all of the unc "fans" on this topic? Hmm.
Here I am
Fri, 11/04/2011 - 17:19 — unc098I believe the die was cast before the start of the first game. There is no way any of BD's staff will remain. To much bad blood between the administration and the the Football program under BD's tenure. We all think this article is about a moot point, thus the lack of response.
Do I think Wither is worthy? I am going to say probably, but I think we could get someone better.
agree
Sat, 11/05/2011 - 09:50 — SurferBecause of his association w BD, I think that there was no chance unless he went undefeated. Now that that is not going to happen, plus because of some of his recent public comments, I think Bubba has ample basis for starting w a clean slate. I like Withers, but keeping him, I fear, would just be a repeat of the Torbush and Bunting eras. Not that that was all bad, but an opp for improvement certainly awaits.