North Carolina’s decision to fire Hubert Davis might not have been the wrong one, but it’ll come with consequences, perhaps. UNC is a marquee program and has done what’s needed, and should find a great replacement, but that doesn’t mean Penn State can’t benefit from what happened.
According to 247Sports’ Tyler Calvaruso, North Carolina’s decision to move on from Davis could help the Nittany Lions land Dylan Mingo.
“North Carolina fired Hubert Davis less than a week after the Tar Heels blew a 19-point lead and lost to VCU in the NCAA Tournament's Round of 64. North Carolina offered Davis the chance to step down, according to TarHeel247's Andrew Jones, but refused and was subsequently fired. With Davis no longer in place as the head coach in Chapel Hill, recruiting attention turns to five-star Glen Head (N.Y.) Long Island Lutheran guard Dylan Mingo.
“Mingo committed to North Carolina on Feb. 17 and publicly pinpointed Penn State as the runner-up in his recruitment after announcing his decision. Baylor and Washington were also involved until the end, but it was Penn State that gave North Carolina its most serious run to land the No. 8 overall recruit and No. 3 combo guard in the 2026 class,” Calvaruso wrote.
Penn State was in the mix and had a real chance to land Mingo, so, as Calvaruso noted, there’s definitely a chance for it to get back in it.
When a player commits to North Carolina, there are other factors than just the coach, which I want Penn State fans to recognize. Davis is a big part of this but North Carolina is North Carolina. There’s something to be said about wearing Carolina blue just like there is for wearing a Penn State football jersey.
When Mingo committed, he did sound like he wanted to play for Davis, so we’ll see.
“I feel like any North Carolina team in the past, especially under Coach Davis, runs through their guards. Their ability to let guards control the game is consistent.”
If it happens, Penn State will have to make another big push, as other programs will be interested.