Changes await Missouri, UNC

Associated Press

SHREVEPORT, La.

Big changes are coming for the football programs at Missouri and North Carolina. Before they happen, there’s one more football game to play.

The Tigers and Tar Heels meet today in the Independence Bowl, and both teams have become quite experienced at juggling questions about their long-term future with the upcoming matchup. Players and coaches are adamant the focus will be squarely on the field.

“We’re expecting to play our best game,” Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said.

“And we expect North Carolina to play their best game.”

Not that there aren’t reasons to be distracted. North Carolina (7-5) is in the midst of a coaching change, while Missouri (7-5) is preparing for its move to the Southeastern Conference after an acrimonious exit from the Big 12.

The Tar Heels endured more than their share of turmoil this season under interim head coach Everett Withers, who took over in July after Butch Davis was fired shortly before preseason camp in the shadow of an NCAA investigation.

Withers was a candidate for the full-time job until last week, when North Carolina announced the hiring of Southern Mississippi coach Larry Fedora. Fedora takes over the program immediately after the bowl game and Withers is headed to Ohio State, where he’ll be the defensive coordinator for new coach Urban Meyer.

Withers’ time is already divided.

He said he spent part of his week making recruiting calls for the Buckeyes before turning his focus back to North Carolina.

He expects his team to handle any extra adversity without issues.

The Tar Heels have certainly had plenty of practice.

“This has been an experience for all of us,” Withers said.

“Each player has done an unbelievable job of holding this together to have the success that we’ve had the past two years. It’s been remarkable. I haven’t looked at it as tumultuous. I’ve looked at it as a life lesson — a journey — that you go through.”

Coaching stability isn’t a problem at Missouri (7-5), where Pinkel is wrapping up his 11th season with a program-record seventh consecutive bowl appearance. Instead, it’s the move to the SEC that’s the constant topic of conversation.

“There’s no question about it — this is historically a big moment with us playing our last game in the Big 12,” Pinkel said. “That’s kind of on my shoulders and on our players’ shoulders. This game is important for many reasons, but it will be remembered specifically for that reason.”

While North Carolina and Missouri share a penchant for off-field issues, they also have similar on-field resumes.

Both are talented teams that have experienced bouts of success and failure.