March Madness is often a precursor to the offseason’s coaching carousel, and the first big name that could be on the chopping block is UNC head coach Hubert Davis.
On Thursday, the No. 6 Tar Heels lost to No. 11 VCU in overtime after blowing a 19-point lead, the second consecutive season UNC has been eliminated in the first round.
Davis has had an up-and-down tenure since taking over for Roy Williams in 2021. It started by leading the Tar Heels to the national championship game in his first season. UNC received the No. 1 preseason rank the following season, but finished 20–13 (11–9 in the ACC) and missed the tournament. In 2024, they nabbed the No. 1 seed but fell in the Sweet 16.
Despite the shaky performance, Davis received a two-year extension last year that pushed his deal until 2030.
The University of North Carolina would owe Davis $5.31 million if they fired him by April 1, according to the terms of his contract viewed by Front Office Sports. The school would have to pay him the remaining base salary in his deal, which is worth $1.25 million per year until the 2030 season.
Davis’s contract is pro-rated, meaning he is owed about $104,000 per month until the end of June 2030.
On top of his base salary, Davis also receives “supplemental compensation” annually that started at $1.7 million during the 2024–25 season and increases by $100,000 every year. He would receive an additional $2.2 million in the 2029–30 season.
The contract also includes several incentives outside of his base salary, including $100,000 every time he leads UNC into March Madness. He would receive a total of $1 million for a national championship run.
But UNC would not have to pay out supplemental compensation or any additional benefits upon Davis’s termination.
