This one might not go over too well with some/most segments of the North Carolina fan base.
According to a report overnight from the Champaign News-Gazette, former Illinois head coach Tim Beckman has been added to Larry Fedora‘s UNC football staff as a volunteer assistant coach. Beckman and Fedora have a previous working relationship, having been on the same Oklahoma State staff in 2007.
The Tar Heels have thus far declined to comment publicly on Beckman’s reported addition, and likely for good reason.
Nearly one year ago to the day, Beckman was fired as the head coach at Illinois amidst allegations of mistreatment of players, specifically those who were injured. Those allegations led to an independent investigation initiated by the university.
The firing came more than three months after a former player accused the coach of “misuse and abuse of power,” while another stated shortly thereafter that Beckman “takes the cake as the worst coach I ever met.” Athletic director Mike Thomas initially supported Beckman, but the preliminary results of an external review into the accusations forced Thomas into pulling the trigger.
Saying he was “shocked and disappointed,” Beckman labeled the allegations “totally false” in a post-dismissal statement. “I firmly deny the implications in Mike’s statements that I took any action that was not in the best interests of the health, safety and well-being of my players,” the coach stated, adding, “The health and well-being of our student-athletes is of paramount importance.”
To add another layer to this development? North Carolina and Illinois will face each other Sept. 10 this year in Champaign. It’s unknown if Beckman will be a part of UNC’s traveling party.