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.
The current belief is that Freddie Kitchens will be Bill Belichick’s offensive coordinator at North Carolina, sources tell @CBSSports/@247Sports.
Belichick had announced previously that he was retaining Kitchens as part of his staff but didn’t specify in which role. The former… pic.twitter.com/VDSl4akmIT
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) December 31, 2024
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?
Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.