- Associated Press - Monday, January 20, 2014

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) - North Carolina is negotiating a deal with Indiana offensive coordinator Seth Littrell to run the Tar Heels’ spread offense, a person familiar with the situation said Monday.

In a text message to The Associated Press, the person said Littrell would be the team’s assistant head coach for offense and coach tight ends. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal has not been finalized.

Littrell would replace Blake Anderson, who left to become head coach at Arkansas State. Anderson also hired former Tar Heels tight ends coach Walt Bell for his staff.

The offense has set numerous school records in two seasons at North Carolina under Larry Fedora, who brought Anderson with him from Southern Mississippi when he took over in Chapel Hill before the 2012 season.

Littrell has spent the past two seasons with the Hoosiers, and also coached tight ends and fullbacks. Indiana averaged 38.4 points and 508.5 yards per game this season, and led the Big Ten in passing offense (311.2 yards) while averaging 30.8 points in 2012.

Before that, Littrell had spent three seasons at Arizona and four years as a running backs coach under Mike Leach in Texas Tech’s wide-open passing attack.

The Tar Heels are losing three-year starter Bryn Renner at quarterback as well as star tight end Eric Ebron, who announced he was entering the NFL draft as a junior. North Carolina returns dual-threat QB Marquise Williams, who is expected to compete with redshirt freshman Mitch Trubisky during spring drills.

UNC started 1-5 but regrouped with a late-season surge to become now eligible. The Tar Heels (7-6) closed the year with a win against Cincinnati in the Belk Bowl.

Forty-six of North Carolina’s last 55 touchdowns this season were scored by freshmen and sophomores, including a run of 28 straight before junior Jack Tabb’s TD catch in the 39-17 bowl win against the Bearcats.

Anderson also coached quarterbacks for UNC. It was unclear Monday how the staff would handle coaching duties for the position.

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