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The search for UNC's next head men's basketball coach is still very new, but there are plenty of top candidates emerging.
On Tuesday – five days after blowing a 19-point lead to VCU in the NCAA Tournament – North Carolina fired Hubert Davis after five seasons in charge. Some fans questioned this decision, due to the Tar Heels' injury-riddled roster, but continued postseason performance loomed large.
UNC needs to look outside the "Carolina Family" for its next head coach. Sure, names like Sean May and Marcus Paige are already on staff, but North Carolina needs a proven, winning head coach at the highest level.
How about Vanderbilt head coach Mark Byington? With three straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including two victories in those runs, Byington knows how to win in the postseason.
The Commodores nearly won the SEC Tournament, too, but Arkansas beat them out and is now playing in the Sweet 16. Vandy could easily be playing in the Sweet 16, but missed a halfcourt heave at the buzzer against Nebraska.
Byington already has a connection to the Tar Heel State, playing at UNC-Wilmington from 1994-1998, later landing his first head coaching job with Georgia Southern in 2013. Byington led the Eagles to winning records in five of his seven seasons in Statesboro, including a 2017 College Basketball Invitational appearance.
James Madison hired Byington ahead of the COVID-altered 2020-21 campaign, when his coaching career really started taking off. 2024 marked the Dukes' first NCAA Tournament appearance in over a decade – and first win since the 1980s.
Unlike some of the Tar Heels' other head coaching candidates, Byington's team is no longer in the postseason, making it easier for him to consider a coaching change. Let's dive into Vandy's head coach.
Byington started out as an assistant coach with the College of Charleston in 2002, coaching there until 2004. Byington spent the 2004-05 season at Virginia, then returned to the Lowcountry, where he remained assistant coach until an interim gig in 2012.
Virginia Tech brought Byington on as an assistant for the 2012-13 campaign, then Georgia Southern hired him as head coach. Byington coached the Eagles from 2013-2020, James Madison from 2020-24 – and just completed his second season as Vanderbilt's boss.
Byington has an overall head coaching record of 267-160, with four straight 20-win seasons under his belt. Byington took James Madison to a historic NCAA Tournament appearance in 2024 and, after eight seasons without an NCAA Tournament appearance, Vandy made its second-straight earlier this month.
Byington is a good fit because he has a strong, recent track record of turning programs around.
James Madison suffered through five straight sub-.500 records before Byington took over – then won its first NCAA Tournament game in 40+ years.
Vanderbilt was in an even worse spot before Byington arrived, suffering through five losing seasons in seven years. The Commodores now have two straight NCAA Tournament appearances – and one win in that span.
North Carolina won plenty of games during its 2025-26 season, but last advanced past the NCAA Tournament's First Round in 2024. For a program with the Tar Heels' history, they need a postseason winner like Byington to come in and fix things.
Again, there's really no reason Byington is a bad fit in Chapel Hill. The only reason I can possibly think of: a small sample size coaching at the Power Four level.
Byington has only coached Vanderbilt for two seasons, but knows how to win on the greatest stage. Byington never led Georgia Southern to the NCAA Tournament, but those smaller conferences are extremely tough to gain bids in.
Vanderbilt has a strong athletic department and SEC money, with a recent NIL investment in its men's basketball program. The Commodores have the financial resources to keep Byington, though turning down a potential UNC offer is too much to pass up.
When you compare Byington to other potential UNC head coach candidates, Byington is closer to the top of that list.
Vandy is no longer playing postseason basketball, giving Byington more time to think about his next step. North Carolina is desperate for a coach who can accumulate postseason wins, something Byington knows how to do.
If Byington wants to further build himself as a top coach in college basketball, coming to a Blue Blood like UNC is his best decision.
Byington is a tough coach who expects the most out of his guys, but he's also a good person, something the Tar Heels truly covet in their coaching search.
This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC basketball: Head coach candidate profile for Mark Byington
Continue reading...
On Tuesday – five days after blowing a 19-point lead to VCU in the NCAA Tournament – North Carolina fired Hubert Davis after five seasons in charge. Some fans questioned this decision, due to the Tar Heels' injury-riddled roster, but continued postseason performance loomed large.
UNC needs to look outside the "Carolina Family" for its next head coach. Sure, names like Sean May and Marcus Paige are already on staff, but North Carolina needs a proven, winning head coach at the highest level.
How about Vanderbilt head coach Mark Byington? With three straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including two victories in those runs, Byington knows how to win in the postseason.
The Commodores nearly won the SEC Tournament, too, but Arkansas beat them out and is now playing in the Sweet 16. Vandy could easily be playing in the Sweet 16, but missed a halfcourt heave at the buzzer against Nebraska.
Byington already has a connection to the Tar Heel State, playing at UNC-Wilmington from 1994-1998, later landing his first head coaching job with Georgia Southern in 2013. Byington led the Eagles to winning records in five of his seven seasons in Statesboro, including a 2017 College Basketball Invitational appearance.
James Madison hired Byington ahead of the COVID-altered 2020-21 campaign, when his coaching career really started taking off. 2024 marked the Dukes' first NCAA Tournament appearance in over a decade – and first win since the 1980s.
Unlike some of the Tar Heels' other head coaching candidates, Byington's team is no longer in the postseason, making it easier for him to consider a coaching change. Let's dive into Vandy's head coach.
Mark Byington's prior experience
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Byington started out as an assistant coach with the College of Charleston in 2002, coaching there until 2004. Byington spent the 2004-05 season at Virginia, then returned to the Lowcountry, where he remained assistant coach until an interim gig in 2012.
Virginia Tech brought Byington on as an assistant for the 2012-13 campaign, then Georgia Southern hired him as head coach. Byington coached the Eagles from 2013-2020, James Madison from 2020-24 – and just completed his second season as Vanderbilt's boss.
Byington has an overall head coaching record of 267-160, with four straight 20-win seasons under his belt. Byington took James Madison to a historic NCAA Tournament appearance in 2024 and, after eight seasons without an NCAA Tournament appearance, Vandy made its second-straight earlier this month.
Why he's a good fit
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Byington is a good fit because he has a strong, recent track record of turning programs around.
James Madison suffered through five straight sub-.500 records before Byington took over – then won its first NCAA Tournament game in 40+ years.
Vanderbilt was in an even worse spot before Byington arrived, suffering through five losing seasons in seven years. The Commodores now have two straight NCAA Tournament appearances – and one win in that span.
North Carolina won plenty of games during its 2025-26 season, but last advanced past the NCAA Tournament's First Round in 2024. For a program with the Tar Heels' history, they need a postseason winner like Byington to come in and fix things.
Why he's a bad fit
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Again, there's really no reason Byington is a bad fit in Chapel Hill. The only reason I can possibly think of: a small sample size coaching at the Power Four level.
Byington has only coached Vanderbilt for two seasons, but knows how to win on the greatest stage. Byington never led Georgia Southern to the NCAA Tournament, but those smaller conferences are extremely tough to gain bids in.
Vanderbilt has a strong athletic department and SEC money, with a recent NIL investment in its men's basketball program. The Commodores have the financial resources to keep Byington, though turning down a potential UNC offer is too much to pass up.
Chances he's the guy
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When you compare Byington to other potential UNC head coach candidates, Byington is closer to the top of that list.
Vandy is no longer playing postseason basketball, giving Byington more time to think about his next step. North Carolina is desperate for a coach who can accumulate postseason wins, something Byington knows how to do.
If Byington wants to further build himself as a top coach in college basketball, coming to a Blue Blood like UNC is his best decision.
Byington is a tough coach who expects the most out of his guys, but he's also a good person, something the Tar Heels truly covet in their coaching search.
This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC basketball: Head coach candidate profile for Mark Byington
Continue reading...
