Tim Beckman steps down from role as volunteer coach at UNC

Tim Beckman’s time at North Carolina did not last long.

A day after Tar Heels coach Larry Fedora confirmed that Beckman, the former Illinois head coach, had joined his staff as a volunteer, Beckman has stepped down.

“I appreciate the opportunity Coach Fedora gave me to stay connected to the sport and be around one of the best staffs in the country,” Beckman said in a university release. “His willingness to help a friend was a benefit both personally and professionally.”

Beckman said in his statement he did not want to “cause a distraction.” That he did shouldn’t have been a surprise.

Beckman was fired just before the 2015 season after an investigation into his conduct as a coach. Among other things, the review found Beckman “pressured or influenced” players “not to report or play through” injuries. He was also accused of using abusive language and other inappropriate tactics. The review also said Beckman “violated standards related to sports medicine protocols and scholarships” in his treatment of his players. The investigation also said Beckman “pushed players and athletic trainers beyond reasonable limits in systematic fashion.”

Fedora inexplicably said Wednesday that Beckman was fired because he “didn’t win enough games” and that he was “very comfortable” adding Beckman to the staff. Beckman and Fedora previously worked together at Oklahoma State in 2007.

“I don’t believe everything I read, all right. I know Tim. I know his side of the story, also. So I was comfortable with it,” Fedora said Wednesday per the News & Observer.

Fedora also said Beckman wouldn’t be working with players. A photo from practice shows that was not the case.

UNC chancellor Carol L. Folt said in a statement she was “surprised and disappointed” to learn Beckman had joined Fedora’s staff.

“The decision for Mr. Beckman to withdraw from his volunteer position was the right thing to do, and moving forward I don’t expect this situation to recur,” she said. “I continue to put a great deal of trust in Director of Athletics Bubba Cunningham and coach Fedora to educate and develop our student-athletes and to ensure we meet the high standards we all expect at Carolina.”

Beckman went 12-25 (4-20) during his time at Illinois. He has denied all allegations made against him.

The coach reached a settlement with Illinois in April.

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Sam Cooper is a writer for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!

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