North Carolina's contribution to the National Football League has been well documented with the Tar Heels sending literally dozens of players to the professional ranks.

 

But when recently asked about the number of college and professional coaches produced by UNC, the only names I could pull out the hat were John Bunting, Jim Donnan, Jim Tatum and Dick Bestwick.

 

The thought occurred to me soon after that age-revealing answer---face it, no 22-year-old is going to throw out Dick Bestwick---that I really don't know much about the Tar Heels football coaching tree.

I was especially curious to find out about any ex-UNC players who are currently working as head coaches or assistants in the NFL or the major college level.

 

So I logged onto my trusty computer and started pouring over the coaching rosters for every NFL and major college football team. Unless, I missed somebody or didn't recognize them as an ex-Tar Heel, here's what I found.

 

Only two former UNC players are working on NFL staffs - Clyde Christensen with the Indianapolis Colts and Arthur Smith with the Tennessee Titans.

 

Christensen has enjoyed a distinguished career, coaching for 17 seasons in the NFL. The last 11 of those have been with the Colts as quarterbacks coach working with future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning.

Christensen, who also served as offensive coordinator the last two seasons, has been part of nine playoff teams in Indy and scored a Super Bowl ring in 2006.

 

As a Tar Heel, Christensen is notable because he's one of the few junior college players who have played at UNC. He transferred there from Fresno City junior college and lettered in 1977 and 1978 playing for the Tar Heels.

 

Christensen provided some big plays in 1977 when he relieved injured starting quarterback Matt Kupec against Clemson and helped the Tar Heels come back for gain a 13-13 tie. The deadlocked allowed UNC to claim the ACC championship that season.

 

Smith is a relative newcomer to the NFL. He's in his first season as defensive assistant and quality control for defense with the Titans. A Memphis native, Smith previously served in a similar capacity with the Washington Redskins in 2007 and 2008. He lettered as an offensive lineman at UNC in 2005.

 

The Tar Heel coaching tree has a few more limbs at the college level with the biggest, led by one of the top offensive minds in the country.

 

Here's a quick checklist of the Tar Heels I found coaching at the Football Bowl Subdivision level.

 

Kevin Wilson (UNC 1980-1983)

Wilson, who is from Maiden, N.C, came to UNC as a walk on but eventually earned a scholarship. He lettered for the Tar Heels in 1982 and 1983.

Wilson is entering his second season as head coach at Indiana. Prior to joining the Hoosiers, Wilson was offensive coordinator at Oklahoma from 2002 to 2010. His 2008 Sooner offensive set an NCAA record by scoring 60 or more points in five consecutive games.

 

Ron Burton (UNC 1982-86)

A four-year letterman at linebacker for the Tar Heels, Burton also spent four seasons playing in the NFL before returning to his alma mater as a graduate assistant coach. He's now in his ninth season as defensive line coach and NFL liaison at the Air Force Academy.

 

John Dunn (UNC 2001-2003)

Dunn was a walk-on quarterback-tight end who lettered for UNC in 2003. His playing career was cut short by a neck injury, but that paved the way for him to become a student assistant coach with the Tar Heels.

He went on to work as a graduate assistant at UNC and LSU before landing a job coaching tight ends and as recruiting coordinator at Maryland. Dunn is starting his second season with the Terrapins.

 

Billy Hite (UNC 1970-74)

Hite was a running back for the Tar Heels under Bill Dooley. Dooley consequently hired Hite when he moved on to become head coach at Virginia Tech in 1978. Hite has been with the Hokies since, serving 34 seasons.

After working the last 10 year as associate head coach and with the Virginia Tech running backs, Hite will assume a new role this season as assistant and senior advisor to head coach Frank Beamer.

 

Stuart Holt (UNC 1992-95)

Holt lettered as a deep snapper for the Tar Heels in 1994 and 1995. He's now in his eighth season coaching at Western Kentucky, serving as offensive tackles and tight ends coach.

Holt is the son B.W. Holt, one of the winningest all-time coaches in North Carolina high school history.

 

Randy Jordan (UNC 1989-92)

A speedy running back who rushed for 1,134 yards and nine touchdowns while lettering three years under Coach Mack Brown, Jordan has returned to his college alma mater to direct the running backs for new head coach Larry Fedora.

He spent nine seasons playing in the NFL before a college coaching career that included stops at Nebraska and Texas A&M.

 

Allen Mogridge (UNC 1996-99)

Mogridge lettered four straight seasons playing defensive end, offensive tackle, fullback and tight end over the course of his Tar Heel career.

He's about to start his first season as tight ends and special teams coach at Central Florida after serving the last three seasons in that capacity on Butch Davis' staff at North Carolina.

 

Chad Scott (UNC 2002-03)

Scott is beginning his third season as running backs coach at Texas A&M. He's best known to Tar Heel fans as the running back who transferred to UNC after playing the 2000 and 2001 seasons at Kentucky.

Scott lettered both years for the Tar Heels and produced 796 yards rushing and eight touchdowns as a senior in 2003. His coaching career began as a grad assistant at UNC before moving to a full-time job at Troy.

 

Tommy Thigpen (UNC 1989-92)

An All-ACC linebacker and four-year letterwinner for the Tar Heels, Thigpen is in his fourth season on the staff at Auburn University.

He coached the Tiger safeties when he first arrived in 2009 and has been in charge of the linebacking corps the last two seasons. Thigpen previously served on the staff at UNC as linebackers coach from 2005-08.

 

Hopefully, I didn't miss anyone. But either way, you can see that in addition to putting out some pretty fair professional football talent, that UNC has also produced some solid coaches as well.

 

Now, next time I'm asked about the Tar Heel coaching tree, I'll have a better answer.