Brown Talks Portal, Changes In The Sport, Coaching Decisions & More

CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina Coach Mack Brown concluded Monday’s transfer portal press conference by hosting a 33-minute Q&A session with the assembled media, much of which focused on the program as a whole.

Among the topics: Thoughts on the portal class as a whole (is it an upgrade from what left); how recruiting has changed since kids that go elsewhere may come calling again; eliminating the early signing period; possible coaching changes on defense; the possibility some defensive coaches are talking with other schools; Tomari Fox; and Brown spent a few minutes discussing the bowl game loss to Oregon.

Above is video of Brown’s Q&A session, and below are some notes and a few pulled quotes from what he had to say:

*UNC lost around 13 kids to the transfer portal, though most didn’t play much. The eight college players brought in from the portal were starters with extensive experience. Brown wasn’t going to say it’s a clear upgrade, but he hinted it might be.

“It’s a good question, and I can probably answer it better in June very honestly, because I would be saying, ‘I hope so,’” Brown said. “We haven’t coached these guys yet. We have played against a number of them. And that’s one thing that you do; if you lose a guy that wasn’t playing as much, and you gain a guy that was a super star on their team, you would hope that it upgrades your roster.”

Brown later added: “All of these guys have the ability to start, and we feel good about that.”

*With the portal being what it is and the need to get further acclimated, plus so many guys getting hurt, Brown says spring games could go away.

“You’ve got numbers that won’t be here until June, you don’t want to play all your older starters because they may get hurt and stay out there too long,” he said. “I think you’ll see more, like Georgia Tech had a little scrimmage and then had a practice. I think you’ll see more of that than just spring games for the future.”

*Kids turning down schools and going elsewhere used to engender negativity from the snubbed staffs, but that can’t happen anymore because those very same players might still be options down the road.

“It’s the craziest thing I’ve ever seen, I’ve had people say, ‘Coach, don’t give up on me,’” Brown said. ‘“If this doesn’t work out, we’ll come back.’ There’s coaches laughing at it, but if you’re playing a Group of 5 or an FCS school, walk on over and shake the hand of their best player before shaking the hand of the coach. After the game, ‘Hey man, you were great.’ (laughter)”

*Brown expressed last month the early signing period should be eliminated and the National Signing Day in February should return because December has too much going on for staffs to handle everything. Plus, with so much movement with staffs, including assistants leaving for other schools, it makes things challenging for the high school kids what were recruited primarily by those assistants. SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said the other day he favors this as well. Brown was asked his thoughts about that.

“I think we absolutely should move the signing day back to where it was,” he replied. “And if early enrollees want to sign, let them sign because they’ve got to have a signing date anyway. Just let them sign like they used to.

“And then have it where coaches can’t leave their programs until after the last game. And then we’re not disrupting kids.”

Brown also said the bowl games were as good as ever this season, so consideration to current players and their bowl prep should be considered as well.

“It’s not fair to the guys to lose their coaches right before a bowl game. It’s not fair to the fans, it’s not fair to anybody.”

*Brown said in San Diego following the bowl game the staff was reconvene January 6 and he would begin conversations with them, notably defensive coordinator Gene Chizik to get his thoughts about the assistants on that side of the ball. Brown was asked for an update.

“The guys were gone for a week, I really hadn’t seen them,” Brown said. “We had a staff meeting yesterday and a team meeting last night. The guys are at the coaches convention right now. So, over the next two weeks, there’s no urgency right now… I’ll sit down with Gene, I’ll sit down with each coach and Gene together, and then reassess exactly where we are and need to go.”

*Brown was asked if he wants to make changes:

“I want to win,” he replied. “I want to win all the games with really nice kids that are mean on Saturday afternoon and all graduate. That’s what I want to do. I want to win every game. I don’t want to win nine games, that’s not what I came back for. And I told them all that last night.

“We are so close, why don’t we take the next step? But to take another step, my job is to figure out what I need to do, what the coaches need to do to take another step. Is that change a coach? Everybody always wants to fire a coach, is that the right thing to do for us this time? I’ve got to make those decisions, nobody else.”

*In addition, while Brown may not move any coaches, what about assistants speaking with other schools? How does that factor into his discussions?

“I’ve always told our coaches, ‘If you’re talking to somebody, just tell me,’” Brown replied. “I never want somebody to stay here that wants to go somewhere else. I want people that are here and happy and like it, and excited about being here. ‘So, if you want to go, just tell me, that’s all. I don’t care.’

“And then I always say, too, ‘I’ve got to pay you what you’re worth to this program for winning. So, if they’re going to pay you this much, and I don’t think you’re worth that much then leave. That’s just the way the conversation goes. It’s that way, and I’ve told them we’re very transparent.

“My conversations with these coaches will be exactly like they are with you, except more direct and tougher.”