CHAPEL HILL, N.C., Dec. 9 (UPI) -- Larry Fedora, who guided Southern Mississippi to a school-record 11 wins this season, has been hired to be the football coach at North Carolina.
Fedora, 49, will take over the Tar Heels after interim coach Everett Withers leads them in the Dec. 26 Independence Bowl against Missouri. North Carolina takes a 7-5 record into that game.
Withers took over the team in July after Butch Davis was fired following an NCAA investigation determined improper benefits had been given to players.
Fedora will coach is own bowl game, however, as Southern Mississippi plays in the Hawaii Bowl against Nevada Dec. 24.
He coached the Golden Eagles for four seasons, winning at least seven games and earning bowl invitations each season. Southern Mississippi is 11-2 and ranked No. 21 this season.
Southern Mississippi was his first head coaching position. He was previously an assistant at Baylor, Air Force, Tennessee, Florida and Oklahoma State.
"Larry has a strong record both as the head coach at Southern Miss and for 18 years as a college assistant coach," North Carolina Athletic Director Bubba Cunningham said Friday. "Throughout his career, his teams have been known for their exciting and highly productive offenses and aggressive defenses."
