Can Mack Brown’s offense score enough points to win six games?

The Tar Heels’ second-stint head coach says one of the differences between the old Mack and the new Mack is that he is not going to be a CEO anymore. That is how Brown was labeled in the past — hire a great staff, let them do their jobs and oversee the operation from 500 feet.

So, where Brown used to admonish his assistants to fix this or fix that when something went wrong, whatever happens now, Tar Heel football is on him. Take recruiting, where he says of his long history at UNC, “I know this place better than anyone, so I should make the final decision on all recruits.”

Brown hired Phil Longo from Ole Miss as his new offensive coordinator but apparently won’t turn the Air Raid attack completely over. That is important, because as the defensive attrition mounts, it looks like Carolina’s best chance to win more games than the last couple of years combined is to seriously outscore the other team. The Heels apparently have lots of holes to plug on D.

Brown is filling them, but some of those are with transfers who might have to sit out one season before getting on the field, or more recruits from the high school class of 2020. For example, former four-star defensive back Kyler McMichael, who played in 12 games for Clemson’s national champions, is leaving Death Valley for Chapel Hill. But unless the NCAA clears him to play right away, his first of three remaining years of eligibility won’t start until 2020.

Besides defenders who graduated, there have been transfers and injuries, leaving the linebacking corps with some guys who haven’t played much, those who haven’t played at all or those who have switched from offense to defense. Hopefully, we will hear names like Khadry Jackson, Eugene Assante and converted quarterback Chaz Surratt because they will be making tackles, breaking up passes and maybe plucking a pick — or two.

Linebacking has long been a strength of Mack Brown teams, with several who went on to play in the NFL. And together with defensive coordinator Jay Bateman, Brown will have to develop talent and experience quickly with South Carolina, Miami and App State – all teams with potent offenses – on the early schedule besides Clemson.

Brown came back with his typical optimism and says he doesn’t want to wait four years like his first time here. He wants to win now, and he likes his offense of deep running backs and young quarterbacks. That’s good because their scoring enough points to win now is on him, so says the head coach.

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