UNC football head coach Mack Brown joined Aaron Keck this morning for “Mondays with Mack,” presented by Chapel Hill Tire.
Brown and the Tar Heels are now 3-0 after a convincing win against Minnesota last weekend. The team will attempt to move to 4-0 for the first time since 1997 (Brown’s last season in Chapel Hill before leaving for Texas) when it visits Pittsburgh for the ACC opener on Saturday night. Carolina hasn’t won at Pittsburgh since 2017.
Here are a few of Brown’s answers on various topics:
On the fan support during win against Minnesota: I wanna thank all the fans and especially the students this weekend. It was a beautiful day and a great game against a really good Big Ten team. And our guys really responded well. But the support for our community, it puts a smile on my face to see a full house really supporting our team and thinking about how much it does for our university and for the community. So it’s just a great weekend… Your team is only going to be as committed as your university and your team is only going to be as committed your fan base. I think that’s really true. So when the guys feel that it’s very, very important to the fans, it’s very important to the university, they’re gonna play harder.
On Nate McCollum’s performance: It’s the first time we’ve really seen Nate in a game full speed. So it was pleasing for us. We’re not surprised. We knew he was talented. He’s so quick and he’s a tough runner. He was a difference in that ballgame on Saturday.
On Tez Walker’s situation: Tez is doing well, and I think it’s because everybody has stood up for him. And everybody that that has stood up for him feels like the decision was wrong and that he’s had something taken away. It’s very, very important in his life. It’s our job to support him as a community, a university. Our trustees stood up for him. The fans have stood up for him. Our team is standing strong for him. And all of that’s helping him get through a very, very difficult, emotional time for he and his family.
On the upcoming matchup at Pittsburgh: Pitt’s one of the toughest, if not the toughest, team in our league. They’re not happy with their start because they have tremendous amount of pride, and Coach [Pat] Narduzzi is one of the best and toughest coaches in our league. We’ve been up there the last two times and lost in overtime. So it’s been a very difficult place for us to play. And we haven’t responded well sometimes when things are really positive. We haven’t responded to success. So this is a great test for us starting the ACC on the road playing a really, really tough, difficult team that’s mad. So this will be a really good weekend to see if we’ve grown up and see if we can handle success and be the good team on the road.
On his message to the fans: This is a special start for our team. And if you can get to Pittsburgh on Saturday night, do. We’re gonna need your support. The guys are gonna look up in those stands and see how many Carolina Blue shirts and hats are up there for sure. And if you can’t, if you’re at home, find a place to watch the game. Dress up in your Carolina Blue and scream so we can hear you in Pittsburgh.
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 The News & Observer/Robert Willett
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