North Carolina Tar Heels football names Gene Chizik assistant head coach for defense

2:30 PM

Gene Chizik, the former head coach of the University of Alabama, has been hired by the school as an assistant head coach.

Chizik had been out of coaching for a while, but he was back at SEC Network. He was the defensive coach at North Carolina from 2015 to 2016 and helped the Tar Heels become the most improved defensive unit in the country.

He worked for Mack Brown at Texas as a defensive coach.

North Carolina hired Indiana's defensive coordinators and defensive backs coach. Warren worked for Chizik at North Carolina.

North Carolina announced earlier in the week that defensive coordinator Jay Bateman and outside linebackers/special teams coach Jovan Dewitt wouldn't be returning.

The Heels allowed 32.1 points per game in a year that began with the hopes of a title.

"I know this is a special place and I'm excited to help the program take the next step towards competing for and winning championships," Chizik said in a statement. I'm looking forward to working with Coach Brown and the assistants again. This group does things the right way and for the right reasons, which is really important to me. We've had a number of opportunities to get back into coaching, but this is the total package. I know where the program is headed and I'm excited to be a part of it. We can't wait to get to Chapel Hill and start working.