At the age of 54, Larry Fedora is in phenomenal physical condition and he has enjoyed real success since arriving to be the head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels five seasons ago. Over that time, the program has posted a 40-25 record with a very solid 26-14 mark in ACC play and, as a result, Fedora's name has taken off as a hot prospect in the profession. In fact, Fedora's name was associated with more than a few jobs earlier in the offseason and, perhaps as a response to that, the head coach received a lucrative extension on Thursday.
In an official release from the program, Fedora had this to say:
"I enjoy coaching at the University of North Carolina and I appreciate the trust Chancellor Folt and Bubba Cunningham have shown in the leadership of our program. Our staff and players have worked diligently over the last five years to build a program that encompasses all aspects of the student-athlete experience, while simultaneously achieving success on the field."
The deal could reportedly be worth up to $18.9 million over a seven-year period and he will be under contract at UNC through the 2022 season. That might not be money on the level of Nick Saban or Jim Harbaugh, but at North Carolina, that is a big-time investment in the football program moving forward. That hasn't stopped some people from speculating him taking off for greener pastures though:
Fedora also has some nice incentives included in his new deal like earning $100,000 for winning the Coastal Division and another $100,000 for winning the conference as well. He is also set to make an extra $25,000 if he wins the ACC's Coach of the Year award so there's plenty of reasons for Fedora to stay in Chapel Hill.