CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina Football Coach Mack Brown met with the media Monday at the Kenan Football Center for his weekly press conference in advance of the Tar Heels’ home game Saturday against Pittsburgh.
UNC has lost consecutive games and is coming off a 21-20 defeat at Duke after owning a 20-0 lead in the third quarter. Carolina is now 3-2 overall and 0-1 in the ACC.
The Panthers are 4-0 and this will be their ACC opener.
Above is video of Brown’s presser and below are some notes from what he had to say:
Notes: A UNC spokesman said before the presser that RN Darwin Barlow and DE/Rush Kaimon Rucker are working their way back this week. Still uncertain if either will play Saturday. Both have been out since the win at Minnesota.
Also, WR Christian Hamilton remains out, and kickoff specialist and backup PK Liam Boyd is likely lost for the season.
*Brown opened his press conference offering some thoughts about the disaster in the western part of the state. Brown owns a home in Linville and isn’t sure of its current condition. He asked for prayers for all involved and affected.
*He then went into discussing his team, which is says is “really good” but the staff hasn’t done a good enough job with, which is why they lost the last two games in ugly fashion.
*He then addressed the public anger, social media, and that “it’s how things are” now.
*Brown says a key in a game of many in the 21-20 loss at Duke came with 8:49 remaining in the third quarter. Carolina has 4th-and-1 at the Duke 9-yard-line. Omarion Hampton picked up two yards, but UNC’s Bryson Nesbit was called for holding, and instead of being primed to go in for a touchdown and a 24-0 lead, the Heels settled for a 37-yard Noah Burnette field goal and a 20-0 advantage.
Brown said not getting in the end zone there “kept us from closing the game out.” He noted that Duke may not have been able to overcome 24-0, and 20-0 only meant three scores were needed, and the Devils got them.
*Duke sacked Jacolby Criswell three times, but it also was credited with 19 hurries. UNC had a great deal of trouble picking up the Devils’ pass rush. “Duke brought pressure like James Madison brought pressure and we didn’t handle it well.”
*Brown also added that the Heels missing 20 tackles in the game and 267 yards of offense allowed in the 18 game minutes after taking a 20-0 lead was a result of them getting frustrated, trying to do too much, and also there’s a mental factor in there that carried over from allowing JMU 70 points, and some of the older players have some residue of defensive collapses last season and before.
*Many fans have been vocal about the Tar Heels’ poor play in the last two losses, and so-so play before that. And coupled with how the last two seasons ended, there is a lot of unhappiness over the job Brown is doing. He’s aware, and addressed it Monday.
He says the fans “are right” in their criticism, that the staff hasn’t done its job, and he hasn’t done his job. He said he can take it, so people should direct it at him. He also said fans should support the players and show up Saturday, that it’s about them and not him.
“Be mad at me, okay, I got it.”
He also added that the fan reaction is actually a good thing.
“I love the fact that our fans care and are disappointed.”
*The Tar Heels started the 2022 season with a 9-1 record and ended up 9-5 and they won the first six games a year ago before finishing 8-4. Offering an interesting take, Brown said perhaps this season will turn out different, that the team will get better, and with two open dates still on the schedule, it sets up well for a strong finish.
*As for Pitt, Brown said it’s the best team they have played to date, that QB Eli Holstein is the real deal, and the Panthers will be physical and present many challenges.
