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Hubert Davis hot seat rumors: Tyler Hansbrough predicts UNC brings head coach back

Danby: Daniel Hager03/20/26DanielHagerOn3

For the first time in program history, North Carolina has lost back-to-back NCAA Tournament First Round games. Both losses have come under head coach Hubert Davis, who just completed his fifth season with the program.

The Tar Heels led No. 11 seed VCU Thursday night by as many as 19 points in the second half, but ended up falling in overtime to the Rams 82-78. This has led to immense backlash from North Carolina fans, upset with how the past four seasons have gone.

Davis’ first season at the helm (2021-22) ended in North Carolina making a run to the National Championship Game as a No. 8 seed. Following that run, however, Carolina missed the 2023 NCAA Tournament as the Preseason No. 1-ranked team in the country. It then fell to No. 4 seed Alabama in the 2024 Sweet Sixteen, and has dropped back-to-back First Round games (No. 6 seed Ole Miss and No. 11 seed VCU).

Tyler Hansbrough predicts Hubert Davis will return to North Carolina for 2026-27 season

Despite a less-than-stellar run from the program, North Carolina legend Tyler Hansbrough has predicted that Davis will return to Chapel Hill for his sixth season. One program legend standing with another.

“Personally, I don’t think they make a move,” Hansbrough said during an appearance on The Field of 68. “The reason I say that is because I think money is a big deal right now at UNC, with football, this arena BS that was unnecessarily brought on us right in the middle of the season — tell me that wasn’t a distraction, it was. Moving on to the coaching, you know, I think if we do make a change, like you said, you’ve got to have somebody who you know. And if I’m an AD, there’s something that I need to see that — going forward that gives me a little confidence that we’re not going to do the same thing over and over.

“…Here’s, my worry is, if you do make a change, (Executive Associate Athletic Director Steve) Newmark‘s not a former AD. How does he — does he know how to navigate this? And you know, the one thing I would like to see — I would like to see Roy Williams have a voice and be a mentor and see if they can’t, you know, to Hubert. I think that would be very good.”

Across five seasons, Davis has led North Carolina to a 125-54 (68-30) record.