Poll finds UNC fans undecided on Withers

A majority of those identifying themselves as North Carolina fans in a recent poll say they haven’t decided whether interim football coach Everett Withers should keep the job on a permanent basis.


Withers is 6-3 overall and 2-3 in the ACC after stepping in following Butch Davis’ firing in July. According to a Public Policy Polling survey of 615 North Carolina voters, including 243 UNC fans, conducted Oct. 27 to Oct. 31, 53 percent of Tar Heel fans haven’t formed an opinion yet on whether Withers should get the coaching job permanently.

Those who have an opinion of Withers have reacted positively. Thirty-nine percent approve of the job he’s doing, while eight percent disapprove, and 34 percent say he should keep the job while 14 percent have decided he should be replaced.

Withers has three games left in the regular season, beginning with Saturday’s visit to rival N.C. State, to make his case for the permanent job.

UNC fans are divided on the decision to fire Davis and chancellor Holden Thorp’s handling of the football program. Thirty-two percent agree with his firing, while 26 percent dissented. Meanwhile, 26 percent approved of Thorp’s handling of the football program and 26 percent disapproved.

Twenty-seven percent of UNC fans approve of Thorp’s overall work as chancellor, while 19 percent disapprove. And 19 percent of UNC fans polled say he should be fired, down from 23 percent in August.

Ken Tysiac