Tag: Freddie Kitchens

UNC football’s 2025 offensive coordinator likely already on coaching staff

UNC’s next offensive coordinator might already be in Chapel Hill.

Despite finishing with a 6-6 record and the numerous injuries they dealt with, the North Carolina Tar Heels continued to showcase their high-scoring offense during the 2024 college football season.

UNC finished the year with 30.9 points per game, good enough for 45th in the FBS. North Carolina’s 406.7 yards per game put it 50th in the FBS.

Omarion Hampton led the Tar Heels with his second-consecutive 1,000-yard season, compiling 1,660 rushing yards to finish second in the FBS. Hampton added 15 touchdowns, climbed the North Carolina record books and played himself into a possible, 2025 NFL Draft first-round pick.

We can thank Freddie Kitchens, UNC’s run game coordinator and tight ends coach, for playing a role in UNC’s offensive efficiency.

We know that Bill Belichick is keeping Kitchens on his staff, but aren’t sure of what Kitchens’ exact role will be.

According to CBS Sports/247Sports’ Matt Zenitz and Keeping it Heel’s Nick Delahanty, Kitchens is expected to become the Tar Heels’ next offensive coordinator.

If Kitchens steps into North Carolina’s OC role, he’d be replacing Chip Lindsay, whom Michigan hired for the same position.

Kitchens has a long NFL coaching history, but his lone offensive coordinator experience came with the Cleveland Browns in 2018, when he helped develop Baker Mayfield into one of the NFL’s top rookies – and in 2021 as the New York Giants’ interim OC.

Kitchens spent 2007-2017 as the Arizona Cardinals‘ tight ends, quarterbacks and running backs coach, moved to Cleveland in 2018 and became their head coach in 2019, then transitioned to become the New York Giants‘ 2020 tight ends coach.

Do you think Kitchens is the right choice to become the Tar Heels’ next offensive coordinator?

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Bill Belichick mentions NFL influence on new UNC football staff

Bill Belichick’s football staff at UNC has a heavy NFL influence.

While we’re still currently in the midst of Bowl Season, there isn’t more excitement and anticipation surrounding one college football program – outside of the CFP – than the North Carolina Tar Heels.

UNC took a home run swing and hired Bill Belichick as its next football coach in December, just weeks after firing Mack Brown. Belichick is an 8-time Super Bowl winner (six as New England Patriots head coach), 17-time AFC East winner and he coached Tom Brady, the greatest football player to walk this earth.

The Belichick effect is in full swing, with several transfers choosing North Carolina and future recruits highly considering the Carolina Blue.

Part of the Belichick effect also includes the Tar Heels’ coaching staff, which includes the likes of expected offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens, defensive coordinator Steve Belichick, UNC General Manager Michael Lombardi and Director of Player Personnel Joe Anile.

“I will really start to move on that this week and next week again,” Belichick said “A lot of coaches – who will potentially be on the staff – are either still involved in the playoffs, bowl games or still involved in the NFL. There’s still another week of the regular season, and then some of them are in the playoffs as well. We’ll see how that plays out. There’ll be a strong NFL presence on the staff, but not exclusively. We have some other people, too, that we’re working on. We’re trying to put together the best that we can. We’ll hire coaches who will help the players and help produce winning football at Carolina. We’re here to help the players.”

North Carolina also has Taylor Edwards and Andrew Blaylock in the Player Personnel Department.

As Belichick said himself, don’t expect the Tar Heels to stop adding coaches. Who will be Belichick’s next hire?

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Bill Belichick reveals first hire for UNC football coaching staff

Bill Belichick to keep Freddie Kitchens on UNC football staff.

The University of North Carolina is introducing new football head coach Bill Belichick for the first time on Thursday, making the impressive hire official.

As Belichick spends his first day on the job in Chapel Hill, he’s meeting the media to answer several questions about the future of the program. And during that press conference, Belichick revealed his first staff hire.

Belichick revealed that tight ends coach and running game coordinator Freddie Kitchens will remain on staff and be his first hire. Kitchens is currently preparing the team for their bowl game against UConn in a few weeks.

Kitchens has years of coaching experience at both the NFL and college level including being the head coach of the Cleveland Browns.

With Kitchens already having familiarity with the program under Mack Brown, keeping him on board is a key move. The rest of Belichick’s staff will be filled out as the days go on and we should expect some big names to be added which could make a huge impact overall with this roster and coaching staff.

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Freddie Kitchens can prove he’s the right fit for UNC’s next head coach in bowl game

Can UNC interim head football coach Freddie Kitchens land the permanent job?

The North Carolina Tar Heels will be playing in a bowl game for the sixth-consecutive season later in December, clinching eligibility with a 31-24 victory over Wake Forest on Nov. 16.

We don’t know who will play and who will opt out for NFL Draft preparation, but I’m confident that star running back Omarion Hampton will not be playing.

We do know one thing, though: UNC will be playing its bowl game under a new head coach: Freddie Kitchens. Also the run game coordinator/tight ends coach, Kitchens was tabbed as North Carolina’s interim head coach for the bowl game.

Though Kitchens is not guaranteed to be the Tar Heels’ next head coach, bowl season is a perfect audition for Kitchens to land the permanent job.

Kitchens was a head coach just once before, leading the Cleveland Browns during part of the 2018 NFL season and all of 2019. Kitchens was fired after 2019, with Cleveland finishing 6-10. Kitchens was the New York Giants‘ tight end coach for 2020 and 2021, then a senior offensive analyst for South Carolina during 2022.

In February 2023, Kitchens replaced John Lilly as UNC’s tight ends coach. Kitchens is instrumental in helping make North Carolina’s tight end room one of the nation’s best, as he’s coached John Copenhaver, All-ACC Tight End Bryson Nesbit and now-Boston College Eagle Kamari Morales.

Kitchens worked with the Arizona Cardinals for most of his coaching career, working with the likes of Carson Palmer and David Johnson. Kitchens helped the Cardinals to a Super Bowl XLII appearance in 2007, so he does bring a championship pedigree to Chapel Hill.

Regardless of where Kitchens stands on UNC’s list of choices for its next head coach, a big bowl victory could land him the job. The Tar Heels may not want to wait that long, though.

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Former Browns head coach gets a second chance at the college level

Former Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens is getting a second chance

The North Carolina Tar Heels parted ways with their head coach Mack Brown last week, and they have finally named their interim head coach: former Cleveland Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens.

The former Browns head coach joined the North Carolina Football program in 2023 as the run game coordinator and tight ends coach. He now, at least for just one game, takes on a much bigger role with the Tar Heels.

In a statement released by the Athletic Director Bubba Cunningham, Kitchens was deemed:

“… an incredible coach who is respected by our student-athletes and staff… He is dedicated to doing all he can to help lead our program through this transition, and we appreciate his willingness to take on the role.”

After taking over as the interim offensive coordinator for the Browns in 2018, Kitchens was named the head coach in 2019. That tenure did not last long as he was fired after a tumultuous season.

He now gets a second shot to make a lasting impact.

UNC football names interim head coach for bowl game

North Carolina has named an interim head coach for their bowl game!

For the last half-decade, North Carolina football has been under the leadership of Mack Brown as its head coach. However, that changed recently with the announcement from UNC administration that Brown had been relieved of his duties.

They let him coach out his last game at Kenan Stadium over the weekend. That game ended in a crushing defeat in the last few minutes of the game — fitting of the last few years of Tar Heel football under Brown.

There have been rumors swirling for days on who the next head coach of the team would be. We have collected a list of all those names on our Tar Heels Wire Big Board. Most recently, Arthur Smith has been in the talks and had a preliminary conversation before declining the position today.

However, the team has one game left this season. With six wins on the season, the team will be bowl-eligible and play in a postseason bowl game. Who, when, and where they will play the bowl game is still unknown.

North Carolina did announce today though, that current tight ends coach and running-game coordinator Freddie Kitchens would serve as the interim head coach effective immediately.

Kitchens has spent time all over the college and the professional level. He has served as the head coach, though, of only one team in his career, the Cleveland Browns. Although that did not start nor end the way he wanted, Kitchens will get another shot to show what kind of leader he can be.

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A current UNC coach has support to take over program from Mack Brown

Is promoting from within the right move for UNC in the search for its next head football coach?

When the North Carolina Tar Heels decided to fire head football coach Mack Brown on Tuesday, they said bye to a man who, despite all the success he experienced in his coaching career, overstayed his welcome in Chapel Hill.

We can’t confirm the final straw on UNC’s decision to fire Brown, but I’d be willing to bet Saturday’s embarrassing loss at Boston College, did the trick.

North Carolina immediately becomes one of the most attractive head coaching jobs in college football. The Tar Heels are a Power 4 program with a history of success, plus they play in a state littered with top-end recruiting talent.

We likely won’t know UNC’s next head coach until after Thanksgiving, but according WRAL sports reporter Pat Welter, there’s support within the program to promote current UNC tight ends coach Freddie Kitchens.

I think Kitchens would be a logical hire, given his success turning Bryson Nesbit, John Copenhaver and former Tar Heel Kamari Morales into top-end tight ends.

Before landing at North Carolina in February 2023, Kitchens spent one season as a Senior Analyst for the South Carolina Gamecocks. Preceding his stop in Columbia was a lengthy run through the NFL, most notably his failed 2019 stint as the Cleveland Browns head coach.

Kichens played college football for Alabama, where he was a record-setting quarterback from 1993-1997. Kitchens’ first coaching stop was at Glenville State in West Virginia, then after spending time with LSU, North Texas, Mississippi State and the Dallas Cowboys, Kitchens established himself with 11 years on the Arizona Cardinals‘ coaching staff.

It’s easy to think negatively about the Tar Heels right now – and I can’t blame you. You could point to Kitchens’ 2019 run and say, “Why would UNC hire this guy?”

You could also start thinking to the future, which continues for North Carolina on Saturday, Nov. 30 in its regular-season finale against NC State.

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Former Browns head coach may just get another shot

The former Browns coach might get another chance at the college level

While Freddie Kitchens had an abysmal one year as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns, he might be getting another shot at becoming a head coach.

After a 60-40 loss to James Madison, North Carolina head coach Mack Brown has reportedly told his team that he is exiting the program. Their next in line to take over as the interim head coach? None other than Kitchens, who is their run game coordinator and tight ends coach.

According to 247, the Tar Heels have hope that Brown will return to the locker room after vocally stepping away as he still has support of his players. However, they also reported that the brass at North Carolina want Kitchens to assume the role as interim head coach.

Kitchens has had one interim role that led to a full-time gig after taking over as the Browns’ interim offensive coordinator in 2018. Could this be Deja vu for the former Browns’ coach?

2023 UNC Football Preview: Tight End

We look at the 2023 tight-end position as UNC looks to find consistency in the passing attack.

The North Carolina Tar Heels are preparing for this upcoming season, and one of the biggest questions is who will become Drake Maye’s new favorite target.

Well, one group, in particular, has a chance to do so: the tight-end group. UNC lost significant talent in the pass-catching category this off-season.

Losing Maye’s two top targets, Josh Downs and Antoine Green will be a challenging replacement, especially when those two targets combined for 137 receptions and 1827 receiving yards last year.

Despite a new-looking wide receiver core, some familiar faces in the tight end room should help the newer targets get established. John Copenhaver, Bryson Nesbit, and Kamari Morales will all return to the Carolina Blue.

The tight end room will also welcome three-star Julien Randolph, whose 6’5, 220-pound frame will be serviceable for Chip Lindsey’s offense.

As the regular season approaches, we decided to crank up our position preview with the tight end position.

Former Alabama QB Freddie Kitchens hired as North Carolina’s tight ends coach

Former Alabama QB Freddie Kitchens was hired as the North Carolina tight ends coach on Monday morning. He last coached at South Carolina as a senior analyst.

Former Alabama quarterback Freddie Kitchens will be joining North Carolina‘s coaching staff as the team’s tight ends coach, according to On3’s Matt Zenitz. He most recently served as a senior analyst at South Carolina.

Kitchens was a three-year starter at quarterback for Alabama. He threw for over 4,000 passing yards and 30 touchdowns.

Two years after leaving Alabama, Kitchens began his coaching career as the running backs coach at Glenville State in 1999. He has since coached for multiple programs such as LSU, Mississippi, and North Texas.

Kitchens has also had several stops at the professional coaching level. He has served as an assistant coach with the Dallas Cowboys, Arizona Cardinals, and New York Giants. In 2019, he served as the head coach for the Cleveland Browns.

His role on North Carolina’s staff will be similar to those of the past. Kitchens previously served as the tight ends coach for Mississippi State.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow the Alabama football program and its alumni.

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