University of North Carolina Athletics
Baddour and Bunting Press Conference Quotes
October 23, 2006 | Football
Oct. 23, 2006
Athletic Director Dick Baddour
Opening statement:
John Bunting is a first-class man. I have great respect and admiration for him and his wife, Dawn. We've often used the word passion to describe John, and that is so true: passion for his family, passion for the University of North Carolina - he really loves the University of North Carolina - passion for football, passion for Carolina football, passion for his team and, I would add, passion for his teammates. Every decision that John Bunting has made or he and I have made together have been what is in the best interest for the University of North Carolina. He has never put Carolina football over the best interest of the University of North Carolina. He has worked hard to change the culture of Carolina football, and in so many ways he has been successful at that. He has focused on academics, discipline and has operated from a strong sense of principles.
We all need to recognize that this community holds this man in the highest regard. It was clear to me that we needed to go in a new direction but absolutely to allow John Bunting to finish what he started this year. For me, there was no other option than for him to be able to do that. He is the best person to keep this program together right now, to keep this team together right now, his coaching staff, and for us to have a chance to keep the recruits together. John's focus will be on the next five games; our focus will be to support that as much as possible and to turn our attention to hiring a new coach.
On clarifying his previous statement that a decision about a coaching change would not be made until after the season:
When I was asked that question, I understood that question to be: would there be a circumstance under which Coach Bunting would not be allowed to finish coaching the season? So, my answer had to do with him finishing coaching the season, and in fact, we wouldn't be here today if we had a different answer to that. So it was extremely important to me, if he wanted to - imperative that he be allowed to finish the season. So that was my answer to that question.
On why the decision was made now:
That is certainly a fair question and one that we talked about when it became apparent to me that we were going to have to make a change. We could have been in a position where we started to talk about how we were going to evaluate the program in some serious way - and I felt like we were already being bombarded with those questions - that it could only create a more severe and difficult situation for the players and the staff to operate in. I felt like that was unfair to the football program, especially if we knew the direction of where we were going and that we should do that now - if John was willing to finish coaching this year.
On the plan for hiring a new coach:
John is with me here today, and so I think the focus should be about that. Certainly, we will have a plan - we have a plan together. We will start focusing on the future. We will use the efforts of Chuck Neinas. We will seek advisers from other avenues. We'll leave it at that at this point. It's certainly something we can talk about in the future.
On what has changed since his seeming endorsement of Bunting following the Clemson loss:
Well, I sincerely meant [that I thought things would get turned around]. I hoped that that would happen. I appreciate the question, and what I don't want to do is to turn this into some public evaluation of the program. It's obvious that I thought the program needed to go in new direction, and that's the reason I made the decision. I just can't tell you how much I admire this man and respect what he has done for Carolina football and what he has fought through to make this program successful. I know he may think at times that we all don't understand that, but I've had the privilege to work side-by-side with him, and I value that a great deal.
On what role Coach Bunting may have in the future with the University and/or the athletic department:
I think John has given the right answer, and he and I can talk about those things in the future. I think John would speak to this, the relationship that he and I have is strong. We've talked about where we might be together in the future and what we may be talking about. John and I can talk about a lot of things.
Head Coach John Bunting
Opening statement:
First off, I want to thank Dickie for giving me the opportunity to come home. I tried very hard to get this program to where it needs to be, to where it should be. I want to thank all the friends, the supporters that have been in my corner through some tough times, some good times. I see many of them here today. You know, last night going home and having a couple of friends sitting right there at my house at 10 o'clock when I rolled in. Half an hour later, Roy Williams at the door - 10:30 at night. Those are special things. Walking in here this morning, running in to Trimane Goddard coming off the elevator. He tells me he loves me, and of course I tell him I love him. James Spurling, all these other folks, my staff standing out there still in support of me and what we represent. We've worked so hard, tirelessly, to do the right things to get this program - and there are so many great things going on with this program right now. And of course I disagree with the decision, but I can accept it, and we're going on.
My wife, as you know, has also made the absolute commitment the last six years with me to get this thing rolling. And we got things rolling. And there are some great things going. Unfortunately, the wins and losses this year don't justify what we've done. I joked with Dickie when I walked up here. He said I forgot my tie. I said, "I only wear ties to funerals," and this is certainly not a funeral. I have got a great staff that will be very successful, either here or someplace else. I will work until the cows come home to help them because I appreciate everything they've done here. We'll do everything I can to help them in the future, and they deserve every bit of it.
I'll finish by saying: by returning to Chapel Hill I was able to reacquaint myself with lots of old teammates, lots of old friends; I was able to make a whole bunch of new friends that we'll have for the rest of our lives, and I look forward to that. We will go on. I'm not sure how much football I'll coach from here on out, if any. Because this is the place I wanted to be, and we were that close. That close. I'll end by saying, thanks again for the support to the people here in the room that have been that way. I see some players that just walked in, and I'm going to finish with them. We're going to finish as hard as we possibly can. That's what I'm about. That's the way I was raised. That's what Carolina taught me. That's what 35 years of playing and coaching since I left Carolina has shown me. I will continue to demonstrate both my loyalty and dedication and commitment to both this football program, our players and our coaches over the next five weeks.
On what the he thinks was the major contributing factor to the decision:
Well, we had about half of those losses in '02 and '03. And I'm in charge of the program at that point, but I can tell you this: I'm not entirely responsible for those losses. We didn't have many players to play with. Since the '04-'05 season, we've been extremely competitive until this season, and this season has been a struggle.
On what he points to as signals the program is headed in the right direction:
We're redshirting an entire class right now, and we've got an unbelievable recruiting class that we're on top of. So the future is bright. Very bright.
On his future:
My focus right now is on the next five games, working with these fine coaches of ours and the players, to support them, to do the best we can out there on that field - starting this week with Wake Forest. Beyond that, I don't have any idea what my wife and I will choose to do.
On what it was like informing the team last night:
Number one, I talked with the staff last evening at 7. Dickie was there with me. That was most difficult. People that are not inside this building never can appreciate how hard they work and how bright they are and how dedicated and committed they've been to making this program better. The recruiting has been unbelievable the last two years. They're in large part responsible for selling this great university, selling the University of North Carolina, selling our staff. That was very difficult. Meeting with the players was also difficult. To the assistants' credit, after I addressed the team, and, once again, reminded them of five games remaining on the schedule, the accountability that will still be demanded of them when it comes to doing all the right things and busting hump to try to win a football game this week. Our assistant coaches then met with them, and I know from talking with them that it was very emotional for the players.
