The UNC football program pressed a hard reset after its 2024 season, firing Mack Brown and hiring 8-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick as head coach.
One of Belichick's first staff additions was former Cleveland Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens, whom he retained from Mack Brown's staff to be his first offensive coordinator at North Carolina. The Tar Heels then went on to sport one of college football's worst offenses in 2025, averaging a measly 288.8 yards and 19.3 points per game.
Now a "volunteer offensive assistant" on Dabo Swinney's staff at Clemson, Kitchens threw shade when asked about his brief time at UNC, according to a recent article by The State's Chapel Fowler.
“When everything went down at Chapel Hill, I knew I wanted to get
back with people that I trusted and I respected,” Kitchens said. "I don’t think I was chasing anything (at North Carolina). “It’s just that sometimes...you don’t do as much investigating as you should. I don’t care to say anything about it. It’s in the rearview mirror and I’m glad that aspect of my life’s moved on. It’s been great to be here at Clemson.”
North Carolina only scored over 30 points once in 2025, a 41-6 blowout of Richmond, which plays at the FCS level. The Tar Heels scored a combined 19 points over their next three games, including just 10 during a 28-point loss in Death Valley.
For the reasons listed above, UNC fans don't exactly hold Kitchens in the highest regard either. He largely struggled with NFL offenses, then hit a new low with North Carolina's 2025 offense.
The Tar Heels now have former Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino as their 2026 offensive coordinator. He's a significant upgrade from the disgruntled Kitchens, who looks for a fresh start in the Upstate.
Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: Former UNC offensive coordinator unhappy about his time in Chapel Hill
