UNC football head coach Mack Brown joined Aaron Keck this morning for “Mondays with Mack,” presented by Chapel Hill Tire.
It’s finally game week in Chapel Hill! The Tar Heels will open the 2022 season against Florida A&M in Kenan Stadium this Saturday. The Tar Heels are looking to put the disappointing 2021 season behind them and start 1-0 for the third time in four years under Mack Brown.
Here are a few of Brown’s answers on various topics:
On the quarterback competition between Drake Maye and Jacolby Criswell: We’re gonna do whatever it takes to win the game. And that’s what we told the guys. It sounds like coach-speak, but it’s not. If you’re in the game and you’re moving the ball and you’re scoring, we’re gonna leave you in. If it’s not working, these guys are good enough that we feel like either one could be interchangeable at any time. But for somebody to say we’re gonna play two quarterbacks, that would not be true. What we’re going to do is have a starter on Saturday night. If he’s doing well he’ll stay in, and if he’s struggling he’ll come out and the other one will go in, because we feel like both are very capable of winning games.
On his thought process before the season begins: We weren’t pleased with the overall outcome of last year’s season. We were pleased with a lot of it. There were some great games. And we loved some of those players, but as a team we were inconsistent. So therefore, as a staff we were inconsistent. And we talked from day one when we got back in January about eliminating sacks and tackles for loss, getting more sacks and tackles for loss, because we were the worst in the country at those two things. Eliminating penalties, or at least limiting them, because we had too many penalties. We had too many missed tackles. We had some miscommunications on defense. And we weren’t physical enough in the lower red zone. So that’s really been our focus, along with leadership and making sure that we play with 100 percent effort, play to a standard of excellence every day in practice and in the classroom and whatever you’re doing. And we’ve had an outstanding spring and fall camp.
On if he has any first-game traditions: I really don’t. I just like to win. The rest of it doesn’t matter. We had a simulation for the game on Saturday where we went through every possible scenario that you could have. We’ve had some great scrimmages. We have lost a couple of really good players that have hurt us. But hopefully Antoine Green will be back early- to mid-season. British Brooks is out for the year, but he’s helping us coach running backs and special teams. That’s what he wants to do in his future, so we’re trying to take negatives and turn them in to positives for those two guys. We’ve had a really, really physical spring and preseason workouts, and we really feel like we’re probably lucky that we only have had the two major injuries.
On his message to the fans: Let’s make 2022 the most special season we’ve ever had. These guys have worked hard. They’re young. They’re talented. There is a great future with this team; let’s make it now!
Listen below for the full conversation between Mack Brown and Aaron Keck, and tune in to hear the segment live on Monday mornings each game week!
Featured image via Tar Heel Illustrated
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