North Carolina has officially fired head coach Larry Fedora and is already working on hiring a new head coach. During his time as head coach of the Tar Heels, Fedora built strong relationships with many prospects. Here are some of the reactions as commitments and other prospects weigh in.
MORE: Five programs that could benefit from UNC's coaching transition | Five realistic candidates to replace Fedora
The situation: The second-highest rated prospect in this North Carolina recruiting class, Biggers chose the Tar Heels in May. His offer sheet included teams such as Virginia, Indiana, Duke and others. He has remained loyal to North Carolina and has helped recruit other prospects to Chapel Hill.
In his words: "I wish he (coach Fedora) didn't get fired, because he is a really good dude. A lot of people probably didn't get a chance to see that. I hate that it happened to him because he is a really good dude. I haven't talked to the coaches. As of now I'm locked in, I'm committed and this is where I want to be."
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The situation: Richards had a lengthy offer sheet and is viewed as one of the prospects in this recruiting class with a very high ceiling. In August he chose the Tar Heels over teams such as Nebraska, West Virginia, Syracuse, Indiana and others.
What they're saying: "We're just finding out about, it but we're shocked. We're still verbally committed. Other schools have been reaching out but we're still processing all of this." Genise Richards, mother of Asim Richards
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The situation: Means committed to North Carolina hoping to continue the tradition of great Tar Heel receivers. He is the most recent player to commit to North Carolina, announcing his commitment earlier this month. Northwestern, Georgia Tech and Rutgers were just a couple of his other major contenders.
In his words: "I am still committed. I just gotta see what the next move for UNC is."
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The situation: Cowan will be one of the top rated prospects in North Carolina in the next recruiting cycle. Already a Rivals250 prospect, dozens of schools have been trying to lure Cowan away from the in-state programs. The Tar Heels were one of the first schools to start recruiting him.
In his words: "Hearing the news definitely surprised me especially being that I’ve pretty much known him since eighth grade."
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The situation: There were a few points earlier this season when some people thought Karr would commit to the Tar Heels. He's visited the Chapel Hill campus a few times and now there is an opening for another school to make a big impression on the talented junior.
In his words: "I mean, I heard people talking about him getting fired, but I wasn’t for sure that they would fired him or wait till next year to see how they do."
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The situation: Love has a chance to be one of the best players in the state in the 2021 class. He already has a solid offer sheet and has visited North Carolina many times. The coaches had identified him as a priority prospect.
In his words: "This is the first time I’ve heard this news. It’s shocking and hits home kinda close, being that it’s a home school and it was my first offer and the relationship we built was great. Hope he finds another job soon, so we can continue our relationship."
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The situation: A physical defensive back, Harrington committed to North Carolina as a linebacker. The Tar Heels were his childhood favorite, and it only took a couple days for him to commit after they offered.
In his words: "No comment at the moment. Still trying to figure things out."
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The situation: Stephens is one of the most versatile prospects in the state, regardless of class. The sophomore has visited Chapel Hill a number of times and he was one of the first 2021 prospects to get an offer from North Carolina.
In his words: "I was very shocked. We had a really good relationship. We talked about other things than football."
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The situation: Smith was very close to the top of the UNC recruiting board for the 2020 class. The linebacker perfectly fit the Tar Heel defensive scheme and meshed with the coaches very well. The Virginia native visited the Chapel Hill campus a few times and seemed like he would end up committing to North Carolina.
What they're saying: "We really liked the staff at UNC and they were a school that we had a strong connection with. UNC met all the criteria, from an academic standpoint and the location (4 hours away) made it a great option. Coach Fedora, coach Baker and coach Papuchis, the DC, really embraced Korey and our entire family. We are sad to see coach Fedora leave, but we are excited to establish a relationship with whatever new coach comes in and we hope that Korey’s recruitment will continue." - Kenyon, father of Korey Smith
