Several Tampa area news outlets are reporting that former UNC football coach Butch Davis could soon join the Tampa Bays Buccaneers staff.

Davis was by Carolina fired and given a $2.7 million payoff in July, 2011.

The Bucs hired former Rutgers coach Greg Schiano on Jan. 26. Raheem Morris was fired as the Bucs’ coach after the 2011 team finished 4-12.

Davis, who had a 28-23 record in four seasons at Carolina, was head coach of the Cleveland Browns of the NFL from 2001 through 2004. His Cleveland teams went 24-34. Before coaching the Browns, Davis had NFL experience on the Dallas Cowboys staffs.

At UNC, Davis was dismissed after NCAA and school investigations uncovered academic wrongdoing and illegal dealings between players and sports agents.

UNC forfeited all of its wins in 2008 and ’09 as part of a self-imposed punishment. The NCAA has not yet ruled on the case.