North Carolina's staggering 37-20 loss to South Florida in Kenan Stadium left the sixth-year Tar Heels coach in such a dire position that only a minor miracle could bring Bunting back for 2007.

At 1-5 overall, Bunting's team looks a lot more likely to go 1-5 than 5-1 or 4-2 over the second half.

Nothing about the situation is pretty, least of all the agonizing appearance of the dedicated, likable Bunting struggling in vain to restore a winning edge to the program in which he once played and still dearly loves.

But Bunting's perseverance aside, so much is broken with the team that a wholesale makeover is the only logical step to take next.

Almost nothing is working.

The Heels are trapped in an offensive system that requires flawless execution, which is far from what they are prepared to mentally or physically deliver.

The defense, which should be competitive at worst, has slipped into a state of near-collapse. South Florida (5-2), behind redshirt freshman quarterback Matt Grothe, piled up 417 yards. The Bulls went to a bowl game last season but didn't have a football team until the mid '90s.

Carolina's confidence hasn't been high all season, but now concentration and discipline are fading. There were 10 penalties for 87 yards, two interceptions by quarterback Cam Sexton, a few dropped passes and so many busted defensive assignments that the players lost track.

"We just keep shooting ourselves in the foot," running back Ronnie McGill said. "It's like we can't stop."

But in truth, such mistakes and wipeout performances have plagued Bunting's teams the past five seasons. A 2-10 finish, marked by many one-sided outcomes, almost sent him packing after the 2003 season. After some internal debate, athletics director Dick Baddour and UNC's administration decided to stand by the man Baddour hired upon the firing of Carl Torbush after the 2000 season.

Bunting responded by leading the 2004 team to a 6-6 record and a bowl bid, followed by a competitive 5-6 mark last season.

Now, it's 2003 all over again, and the mood in Kenan has returned to the dark despair. The preseason motto -- "New Blue" -- Saturday was more like the "New Boo." Many of the 44,000 fans left when the Heels were down 20-10 at the half. Some who went the distance chastised Bunting and his assistant coaches as they left the field. Several were shouting at him to resign immediately.

The coach -- 25-41 overall, 16-27 vs. the ACC -- attempted to show a positive face and sidestepped a question about his future.

"Here's what I am concerned about: I'm concerned about this football team getting back in here tomorrow, being healthy to play and getting ready to play the Cavaliers," Bunting said.

Carolina goes to Virginia on Thursday. It's another game the Tar Heels should have a chance to win, but a couple wins can't significantly improve Bunting's status.

Neither Baddour nor school chancellor James Moeser has said anything to suggest a coaching change is in the offing. Then again, some things don't have to be said.

Bunting has tried his best, but it just hasn't worked. His background as an NFL defensive assistant didn't work in his favor from the start. He had to make big adjustments to hiring staffs, recruiting players and communicating with nonprofessionals. When he seemed to make progress in one area, something went wrong in another.

The 2006 season, Bunting thought, finally would be the turning point. No more than a five- or six-win season was widely expected, but there was reason to believe UNC would play opponents evenly inside and outside the ACC. With six games to go, they still don't have a win over a Division I-A foe, and their last four losses have been by a total of 117 points.

The football expectations at Carolina aren't unrealistic, and there's no question that the fans and the school have been patient. Bunting has been given every chance to get the program going. Where it has gone is back to three years ago.

Unless a miracle occurs in the next six games, there's no valid argument for staying the course.