With enough talent to defy the dynamic of college basketball, North Carolina's Roy Williams should have the country's easiest coaching job next season.

He could also have the toughest.

When Williams and his school's fans recently learned that Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington and Danny Green had withdrawn from the NBA Draft pool, there was jubilation. The Tar Heels, who won 36 times in 2007-08, instantly were anointed as an overwhelming favorite to win the 2009 NCAA title.

But Carolina has been there before. Remember 1983 and 1984? What about '86, '87, '94, '98 and 2001?

All of those teams started with the highest expectations only to fall short of the ultimate goal. Some encountered injuries. One or two flunked chemistry.

The '94 team, for example, began No. 1. It finished 28-7 after a second-round NCAA loss to Boston College. Along the way, senior Brian Reese griped about a loss of playing time to hotshot freshmen.

The '84 Tar Heels went 28-3 and were ranked No. 1 most of the way. They stumbled in their second-round NCAA outing against Indiana, which in turn was eliminated by a Virginia team that wound up 21-12 overall and was 6-8 in the ACC regular season.

That night in Atlanta, Michael Jordan took off his Carolina jersey for what would be the final time and said, "In this sport, nobody gets a guarantee."

If Dean Smith could lose with Jordan, Sam Perkins and Brad Daugherty, it's not a lock that Lawson, Ellington, Green, Tyler Hansbrough, Marcus Ginyard and Deon Thompson are enough to guarantee Williams a title.

The biggest hurdle could be focus for Lawson, Ellington and Green. All wanted to move up and out after last season, which ended with a staggering Final Four loss to Kansas.

If those three see a national championship as little more than a door prize to spots on NBA rosters, it'll soon be Roy vs. the Volcano. Green's father, Danny Sr., says that possibility is out of the question.

"No way whatsoever," Green Sr. said. "These are good kids. They'll be as coachable as anyone could ask for. Their attitudes will be fine. That part of it will be better than ever. Besides, you're talking about Roy Williams. What are these guys going to do? Not listen to him?"

Good point.

Compared to Smith, who almost never lost his cool and religiously used diplomacy, Williams can erupt when he's unhappy about things. Land in Williams' doghouse, and you'll sit on the bench until dry-rot develops.

"Coach don't put up with much mess," Quentin Thomas, an '08 senior, said midway through last season.

Odds are Williams will get everyone's mind right by the middle of October. There'll be some locker-room squabbling. There always is, even among the most close-knit teams. But for fear of having to run a mile or two after practice -- if nothing else -- these players likely will not let private agendas get in the way.

There will be other challenges, starting as usual with Plan B for the offense. Carolina is such an inside-oriented team that perimeter shooting against quality opponents can be a problem.

Ellington can hit jumpers. But if you think he's another Stephon Curry, you're looking at the wrong portion of the Piedmont. Green can shoot, too, but he's streaky. Recruits Ed Davis and Larry Drew will arrive with imposing resumes, but they're going to spend most of their first seasons lugging around the upperclassmen's travel bags.

For all of this talent, experience and depth, history usually doesn't lie. If opponents can disrupt Hansbrough, the Heels are beatable.

Ultimately, however, there is the burden of being the heavy favorite going in.

Williams won it all in 2005 and may yet surpass Smith's 879-win total, but he's lost with full-house hands before. He's just never been at his best with a big target on his back. It was the one -- the only -- rap against Williams during 15 otherwise glorious seasons at Kansas. And when you have no choice but to keep one eye focused on Mike Krzyzewski, it's easy to get distracted.

Don't get me wrong. I'm picking Carolina, too. But make no mistake, this is no sure thing.

Get $150+ in coupons in every Sunday N&O. Click here for convenient home delivery.