On day one, Mack Brown showed why he is still the perfect fit.

At a press conference that was American Idol for some and déjà vu for others, Carolina’s new football coach said in so many words that he is better at 67 than he was at 37 when he took over the Tar Heels for the first time in 1988. While that should be obvious, given what Brown has accomplished in between, something else became crystal clear even before he spoke personally and passionately.

Chancellor Carol Folt and Athletics Director Bubba Cunningham gave heartfelt thanks to former coach Larry Fedora, ticked off UNC’s standing as a highly ranked research institution and public university and welcomed Brown back to complete a championship crew of coaches in 27 other Tar Heel intercollegiate sports.

There was something besides two losing seasons that brought on the change in football. Whatever his record has been and will be, Mack Brown represents exactly how a university sees itself today and in the future. He has done it before so he can do it again.

From his first stint at Carolina through his 20 years living in Austin, Texas, Brown and his wife Sally, whom he met in Chapel Hill in 1992, had kept a close and consistent kinship to UNC. The Browns stayed in touch with their closest friends here and took every opportunity to come back – whether weddings, funerals, a celebration of Mack’s induction into the College Football Hall of Fame or his invitation to speak at Roy Williams’ Fast Break for Cancer breakfast.

Having missed coaching and the connection with his players, Brown explained in fairly dramatic detail how he puts a football program together – building a base with in-state recruits and searching the country for superstars who have seen, and he says will see, the virtues of playing in Kenan Stadium for a “cool” school.

From critiquing players on the field and in practice to serving as their “second parents” away from home, Brown and his wife personify exactly what UNC wants in a football coach. For reasons that go far beyond winning games, they are back to fill that role again.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Related Stories
‹
Chansky's Notebook: DEE-Fense (Clap, Clap)!
It’s the D, not the O, most responsible for Carolina’s fast start. Before the season I asked Lee Pace, who is the best writer of Tar Heel sports around, how he thought Mack Brown’s first team of his second tenure would do. Pace predicted Carolina would be 4-0 going into the Clemson game because a […]
Chansky's Notebook: Something to Show
Saturday is the first big test of the Mack Brown magic. No other coach could have shaken Carolina football out of the apathy that had finally overcome the program in Larry Fedora’s last two losing seasons. The alumni and fan base had moved on from anger to the annual excitement of another basketball season. Kenan had […]
Inside Carolina: First Open Practice
The Tar Heels had their first open practice under coach Mack Brown, and this edition of “Inside Carolina” goes over the outlook from the ground with Ross Martin’s in-person account of what the future UNC football squad is shaping up to be in the coming season.
Inside Carolina: Schedule Highlights
The 2019 UNC football schedule has been released, and “Inside Carolina” has a lot to talk over when it comes to the arrangement of conference play. With a new coaching staff on board, and some of the Tar Heels’ most intimidating match-ups having a history with Mack Brown, there’s a lot to analyze.
Inside Carolina: Finalizing The Deal
Mack Brown’s coaching staff is complete as Stacy Searels, who has worked with Mack Brown before as his offensive line coach at Texas, will join the staff at North Carolina in the same role. Searels replaces Brandon Jones, who was announced as UNC’s offensive line coach last month before accepting the same position at Houston last […]
Inside Carolina: Filling Specialist Spots
During the December signing day, the Tar Heels snagged two important commitments for specialist spots on the upcoming squad headed up by Mack Brown. Today’s edition of “Inside Carolina” discusses these two players, and what they bring to the field for UNC’s special teams.
Inside Carolina: Swelling the Ranks
UNC had a banner day for offensive line recruitment recently, signing three highly ranked linemen for next season. Today’s edition of “Inside Carolina” discusses these additions to the team, and how these three big men will fit into the roster under Mack Brown.
Inside Carolina: Wide Open
As prime recruiting season continues and the new coaching staff at UNC continues to do their best to put together a team of Tar Heels that will see success on the gridiron, today’s edition of “Inside Carolina” discusses the recruiting prospects for the position of wide receiver, with a focus on in-state candidates.
Inside Carolina: Blending Styles
With the two most recent hires for the Tar Heels under Mack Brown, Jay Bateman and Phil Longo at the positions of defensive coordinator and offensive coordinator respectively, today’s edition of “Inside Carolina” discusses their unique styles of coaching and gameplay that will be blending together on the field next year.
Chansky's Notebook: The 'Cool School'
On day one, Mack Brown showed why he is still the perfect fit. At a press conference that was American Idol for some and déjà vu for others, Carolina’s new football coach said in so many words that he is better at 67 than he was at 37 when he took over the Tar Heels for the first […]
›