Associated Press

CHAPEL HILL — New North Carolina coach Butch Davis retained three members of former coach John Bunting’s staff Tuesday but will not keep defensive coordinator Marvin Sanders.

Assistants Tommy Thigpen and Ken Browning and strength and conditioning coordinator Jeff Connors will remain on the Tar Heels’ staff, but Davis did not say what their responsibilities will be.

Thigpen coached linebackers for two seasons under Bunting, while Browning has been in Chapel Hill since 1994 and coached defensive tackles and tight ends.

Sanders has two years remaining on a contract that pays him $225,000 annually.

Davis named Oakland Raiders defensive backs coach Chuck Pagano as his defensive coordinator two weeks ago.

N.C. STATE

RALEIGH — North Carolina State hired former Kentucky defensive coordinator Mike Archer for the same position on Tuesday.

Archer, 53, coached at LSU from 1987-90 and later spent seven years coaching the Pittsburgh Steelers’ linebackers under former N.C. State player Bill Cowher.

He was the Wildcats’ defensive coordinator for the past four seasons before leaving to join new Wolfpack coach Tom O’Brien’s staff. His Jan. 9 resignation was widely reported, but neither school would confirm that he was joining the Wolfpack staff.

“Because of his many years of experience, both on the collegiate and professional levels, and his wealth of knowledge, I feel that he will make invaluable contributions to our program,” O’Brien said.