CHAPEL HILL – Last season was one like Larry Fedora has never previously experienced.

North Carolina lost 22 players for the season, 20 of them before October even arrived, essentially derailing the team’s season, which finished with the Tar Heels posting a 3-9 record.

This fall was supposed to be much smoother, but it hasn’t even come close to working out that way.

Shoe Gate threw a massive wrench into things, as 13 players were suspended, nine of whom got four games, which was reduced last month to three games because of the Central Florida game being cancelled. The indoor practice facility that was originally slated for completion the week of the season opener isn’t close to being done yet.

UNC likely will spend a second full season practicing inside Kenan Stadium, where it has limited space to do the things necessary to properly prepare for opponents.

Then, as if all of that wasn’t enough, Hurricane Florence may have helped the team get a needed break the week after getting destroyed at East Carolina and saved it from having to play Central Florida, which is back in the top 10 this week. But, it has also put the Heels in a situation where they will go 35 days playing just two games, and they were five days apart.

UNC’s second home game of the campaign is this Saturday versus Virginia Tech, 43 days after it opened at California and 71 days after fall camp started.

Has Fedora ever faced this kind of situation before in his career?

“Not that I can recall,” he said Monday during his weekly press conference.

“We’re kind of creatures of habit, and this has been a season where you haven’t been able to get into a normal week routine. That won’t really take place until this next week when we start getting into the same routine of a normal week.”

Beginning with Saturday versus the Hokies, the Tar Heels will close out the season playing on its final seven Saturdays. But to this point, it’s difficult to imagine this hasn’t had an adverse effect on things.

Of course, Fedora isn’t going to buy into such an excuse, but he almost did.

“There could be, but I don’t know the answer to that,” he said. “I’m not going to use that as a reason why we’re in the situation we’re in right now. It’s just you have to deal with whatever situations come up.”

Even with the team embarking on a semblance of normality, it’s still dealing with the suspensions, as it’s most effective player so far, Malik Carney, will sit out this Saturday to complete his punishment. Tomon Fox, UNC’s other starting defensive end who missed the Miami game, must sit for the Syracuse and Virginia games before the whole ordeal if official behind the Tar Heels.

As for the new practice facility, it’s getting closer, but nobody at UNC will even give a target date for when it will be completed. If the Heels use it at all this season, it won’t be for a while.