Mack Brown's time with UNC football comes to a close after loss against N.C. State

Mack Brown entered his new Texas office to an uncomfortable sight 27 years ago.

The recently hired head coach saw John Mackovic, the newly released and former Longhorns coach, cleaning out his desk. Safe to say it was awkward. Brown thought about the interaction this entire week. 

So, even with 16 years of history at UNC split between two stints, Brown refused to let the same thing happen to him on the other side of it. After being fired on Monday by athletic director Bubba Cunningham, Brown packed up his entire office, turned over his work phone and handed in his keys within four days. 

It's an unceremonious exit after an unceremonious end. It's a quick transition in what has been a messy divorce spanning the past season. 

“I'm not foolish,” Brown said. “I knew [I] probably wouldn't be there at the end.”

And, boy, what an ending. On Saturday, the UNC football team fell, 35-30, to the N.C. State Wolfpack for the fourth consecutive year in Brown's final game at Kenan Stadium. The rivalry matchup was everything it always is, featuring six lead changes and two ties in the second half. But it also represented everything North Carolina football has done wrong under the head coach. After leading by one with less than two minutes remaining, the Tar Heels let the Wolfpack find the end zone in a minute and a half to steal the game. 

It's a story that's all too familiar. Even with a masterclass performance by junior running back Omarion Hampton, who recorded 263 total yards, UNC's defense collapsed. The Tar Heels couldn't finish.

In the minutes following the game, the “One More Win for Mack” tour quickly turned into a full-scale brawl featuring both squads. They fought underneath a billboard thanking the Brown family for their time at UNC. Brown was not honored beyond that. 

He was the winningest active head coach in college football before Saturday. Brown has a 113-79-1 record through his time at UNC and a 44-33 record in his second stint. 

But the loss caps off a season that has been nothing short of tumultuous.

“I've always said for God to tell me when it's time to go,” Brown said. “And, oh my gosh, this year I've gotten a bunch of answers, and tonight just piled on.” 

Starting quarterback Max Johnson broke his leg in the season-opener at Minnesota following a months-long battle for the QB1 job. After sophomore quarterback Conner Harrell struggled, the Tar Heels finally landed on third-string graduate quarterback Jacolby Criswell to lead the offense. Then, UNC lost to JMU, 70-50, tyingthe most points ever given up in program history and resulting in an emotional Brown asking the locker room after if they still trusted him as a leader. Four straight loses piled up. Above all else, players had to deal with the emotional turmoil of former wide receiver Tylee Craft's death after a battle with cancer. 

And still, there was some hope for the program. UNC collected wins against Virginia, Florida State and Wake Forest. They became bowl eligible. But then came an ugly 41-21 loss to Boston College where the Tar Heels recorded the fewest number of yards since 2017. 

Finally, where all roads seemingly led: Brown was fired. 

When Brown returned in 2018, his task was to get UNC back to 10-win seasons and become a national contender once again. But he didn't. Top-10 early season rankings turned into falling out of the top-25 altogether by the end of the year. He continued to hold onto the program in an effort to change more lives. He was forced out. 

On Tuesday, Brown gathered his players and told them. The information was released to the media on the same day. 

“Wow, you just didn't expect it to happen that sudden,” graduate rush Kaimon Rucker said. “And it's just one of those things where it was just a typical Tuesday practice and he brought us up. He let us know that he got released. And none of us were expecting that type of news, especially that early in the week.”

Following the announcement, players tried to figure out the timeline. Ending Brown's career four days before a rivalry game didn't make sense to them. 

And while it might have been hard to grasp for everyone involved, the reasoning made sense to Brown. 

The 73-year-old changed the face of recruiting at Texas, eventually leading the Longhorns to a national championship in 2005. He won 158 games there. His 225 wins from 1990 to 2013 between his time at UNC and Texas were the most nationally. He's the seventh winningest college football coach ever. But now recruiting looks different with the additions of the transfer portal and NIL. 

“I think it's a great time for me to get out,” Brown said. “This isn't the game I signed up for. It has changed so much since I've been here in six years.”

Eventually, the whole team lined up at that Tuesday practice single file. They hugged Brown. They thanked him for trying to do what he did 30 years ago at UNC.

“[We] told him how much we appreciate him for all he's done for us,” Criswell said. “And we were sad.”

Following the game, Brown gave his final remarks. 

He entered the press conference with a folded sheet of paper littered with the chicken scratch he makes jokes about being unable to read. The paper always contains points he wants to hit during his meetings with the media. He drank from a plastic water bottle before speaking like usual. He offered a smile. And he started like always. 

“Is everybody ready?”

He spoke for 15 minutes about his love for North Carolina and being proud of what he's done over the last six years. He agreed the program needed to move on with someone new. Brown made light-hearted jokes. He emphasized he wasn't mad or angry. He only offered his disappointment with the way he was fired. He thanked select people.

At the end of his speech, he refused to answer questions. Maybe to avoid the same awkwardness he felt 27 years ago in that office and to go out on his word. Or because he didn't have an obligation anymore. Or to maintain some confidentiality after days of rampant rumors. 

“It wouldn't be fair to the administration for me to answer questions without them sitting here to answer them as well,” Brown said. “So love you. Appreciate you. Don't call me. You won't be able to find me. I'll be somewhere playing golf or fishing.”

And just like that, he walked back through the doors of the Kenan Football Center for the last time. 

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@dthsports | sports@dailytarheel.com

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