CHAPEL HILL — Drew Davis, the son of former North Carolina coach Butch Davis, has enrolled at UNC and will be a walk-on quarterback on the Tar Heels football team, a team spokesman said on Monday.

UNC coach Larry Fedora and his staff of assistants will receive a combined $4.07 million during their first year on the job. PHOTO: Rober Willett

The University of North Carolina will pay its football coaching staff $4.07 million during its first year on the job, according to figures the university released on Monday. That includes the $2.13 million UNC will pay to head coach Larry Fedora, whom the university introduced in December as the successor to interim head coach Everett Withers.

Fedora’s salary includes a one-time payment of $400,000, which the university was to provide to him by March 15, according to his contract. Blake Anderson, Dan Disch and Vic Koenning are UNC’s three highest-paid assistants. They will each receive $250,000 annually. 

UNC coach Larry Fedora said the Tar Heels' rivalry with N.C. State will be a point of emphasis. PHOTO: Robert Willett

CHARLOTTE — Larry Fedora has yet to coach his first game at North Carolina but already he has added some zest to the Tar Heels’ football rivalry with N.C. State. Speaking on Wednesday night in Charlotte at a Rams Club Tar Heel Tour stop, Fedora indicated he understands just fine the significance of the UNC-N.C. State rivalry.

UNC coach Larry Fedora address his team after the Tar Heels' spring game on Saturday. PHOTO: Robert Willett

CHAPEL HILL — North Carolina held its annual Blue vs. White spring football scrimmage at Kenan Stadium on Saturday. In case you missed the story that ran in the paper about this yesterday, you can read it right here. The Blue team defeated the White, 44-7. Well, actually, the final scoreboard read 44-21 – but that includes 14 points that the White team received at halftime to make the game a bit more competitive.

Of course, the final score of a spring scrimmage doesn’t mean much. And it’s difficult to read too much into the Tar Heels’ spring game, anyway, because it was, you have to remember, UNC’s 14th practice in the completely new, completely different offensive and defensive system that first-year coach Larry Fedora and his assistants are installing. A lot will change between now and September.

Even so, the spring game provided us some insight and some lessons. Here are some of them:

UNC coach Larry Fedora wants to see energy and enthusiasm during the Tar Heels' spring game on Saturday. PHOTO: Robert Willett

CHAPEL HILL — North Carolina coach Larry Fedora wouldn’t mind another 25, 30 practices or so this spring. Maybe by then, he said earlier this week, the Tar Heels would be able to accomplish all they need to accomplish before heading into the off-season conditioning program.

But there will not be 25 or 30 more practices for Fedora and UNC. NCAA rules limit teams to 15 spring practices, and UNC’s final one comes on Saturday at 3 p.m. at Kenan Stadium, where the Tar Heels will play their annual spring scrimmage (admission free, game televised at ESPN3.com).

Here are some things to watch:

UNC coach Larry Fedora says the quarterback competition between Bryn Renner and Marquise Williams (pictured, left) is "wide open." PHOTO: Robert Willett

CHAPEL HILL — Here’s a story I wrote today about Marquise Williams, the rising redshirt freshman quarterback at North Carolina.

Williams, a former standout at Mallard Creek High in Charlotte, came to UNC for a couple of reasons, mainly: One, his cousin played for the Tar Heels years ago. And two, Williams formed a bond with former UNC offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach John Shoop.

CHAPEL HILL — The start of spring college football practices always represents a new beginning, no matter the school. It’s especially so at North Carolina, though, which begins spring practice this afternoon.

The Tar Heels have a new head coach, Larry Fedora. They have a new coaching staff. A new offensive and defensive scheme. And a sense of a new beginning now that UNC’s NCAA infractions case is a thing of the past.

I wrote about UNC’s new beginning in a story right here. And before writing that, I had the chance to conduct a short interview with Fedora …

Here it is:

CHAPEL HILL — A couple of quick North Carolina spring football tidbits for you on this Wednesday:

Outlook: The Tar Heels start with a relatively easy game against Elon, an FCS opponent, before beginning conference play one week later on the road at Wake Forest.

The schedule sets UNC up for a fast start leading into its Oct. 6 home game against Virginia Tech, the first of back-to-back key divisional games for the Heels, who go on the road the next week to Miami.

CHAPEL HILL — It’s always difficult for a new college football coaching staff to recruit. Since most coaching transitions in college football happen in December or early January, a head coach and his staff might unite with about a month left before national signing day.

That’s how it was at North Carolina, where Larry Fedora was introduced as the Tar Heels new head coach in mid-December. He started later that month, and announced his staff in early January. Then it was time to recruit. The task would have been difficult enough.