ESPN sends farewell message to Gene Chizik ahead of departure for UNC

Like his new boss, Gene Chizik is headed back to his old stomping grounds to coach college football after a stint in the media.

On Saturday, North Carolina announced Chizik would be going to Chapel Hill to serve as their defensive coordinator. Chizik served in the same role from 2015-16 before resigning in February 2017. His current employer, ESPN, sent him well wishes ahead of his departure.

Wishing our colleague @CoachGeneChizik the very best in his newest chapter with @UNCFootball pic.twitter.com/8SWy5Eny7V

— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) January 8, 2022

“Gene has been a valued member of our college football coverage since SEC Network’s inaugural season in 2014,” said Lee Fitting, ESPN Senior Vice President of Production. “Over the past five seasons since his return to ESPN, ‘Coach Chiz’ has instilled his passion for the game in his colleagues and our viewers, and we’re all better for it. We wish him the very best in his newest chapter at UNC.”

The move is a reunion for UNC head coach Mack Brown and Chizik. They worked together at Texas from 2005-06 and won the 2005 national championship with the Longhorns.

“We’re excited to welcome Gene, his wife Jonna, and their three children, Landry Grace, Kennedy Danielle and Cally, back to the Carolina football family,” Brown said in a press release. “Gene is one of college football’s great defensive minds and we’re excited that he’s returning to lead our unit. He’s spent the last five years in the media studying college football, so like me, he’s had a chance to look at a number of different schemes, while staying on top of how the game has evolved over the last few years.”

Chizik brings plenty of additional experience to the Tar Heels staff. He was a head coach at Iowa State from 2006-07 and at Auburn from 2009-12, where he took the Cam Newton-led Tigers to a national title in 2010.

Earlier this week, the former title-winning head coach was also reportedly considered for a head coaching job in the USFL.

UNC parts ways with Bateman

Chizik is replacing former defensive coordinator Jason Bateman, who served in the position since December 2018.

UNC’s defense struggled immensely this season, allowing 31.6 points per game and rankings 94th nationally in total defense. They gave up more than 35 points in six games.

The Tar Heels will need to get their defense in order for 2022, as they have some very solid offensive teams on the schedule. In addition to annual Coastal Division opponents Pittsburgh, UVA and Miami, UNC plays Appalachian State, Notre Dame and Wake Forest. The Mountaineers had the second-best scoring offense in the Sun Belt, and Notre Dame and Wake Forest both averaged in excess of 35 points per game on the offensive side of the ball this year. 

UNC’s other two non-conference games are Florida A&M and Georgia State, and the Panthers had a solid year in the Sun Belt as well. The Florida A&M game is their opener, and it will take place on Aug. 27 as part of Week 0.

On3’s Nick Schultz contributed to this report.