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Pete Thamel believes North Carolina job is more coveted than Florida

On3 imageby:Sam Gillenwater•10/24/24•

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North Carolina Helmet, Florida Helmet
Jim Dedmon | Imagn Images - Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun | USA TODAY NETWORK

With the coaching carousel about to start spinning as we enter the final month of the season, the top available job in college football might not be the one that you think.

In discussing the potential opening for the Florida Gators on the ‘College GameDay Podcast’, the possible one for the North Carolina Tar Heels came up. With that, Pete Thamel believes that position is perhaps better – in his opinion and what he understands from coaches that could be candidates.

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“People want that Carolina job, by the way,” Thamel interjected. “I almost think more coaches want the Carolina job than the Florida job.”

“Yeah, there’s a lot of upside there,” Rece Davis said in agreement.

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As of now, Mack Brown still hasn’t retired at UNC while Billy Napier remains the head coach of Florida. However, if either or both of those change in the next month, what makes Chapel Hill better than Gainesville?

Well, for one, scheduling in the ACC vs. the SEC. Thamel noted the level of competition as one pro for North Carolina assuming they remain in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

“Look at what your schedule is at Florida compared to what your schedule is going to be at Carolina,” said Thamel. “Who do you got to beat?”

Another positive, although an underrated one to them, was the in-state recruiting base for the Tar Heels. Of his six years there, Brown has brought in classes with an average rank of 20th in On3’s Industry Ranking. That includes three inside the Top-20 at No. 16, No. 11, and his highest at No. 10. Within those 133 commitments and signees, 42.2% of them were from within the state.

“I think North Carolina is the ninth-most populated state in the country, something like that. There’s good players there,” said Thamel. “Mack did a good job building the infrastructure recruiting-wise in the state.”

Again, while among the likelier jobs to be available this offseason, neither one is to this point. Still, if or when they are open, Thamel has enough to think that North Carolina will have more attraction than Florida will.

“Oh boy, does my phone ring about North Carolina,” Thamel said.