CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina football coach Mack Brown spent 35 minutes as the podium Monday morning for his weekly press conference discussing elements of his team’s win over Duke this past weekend, how it’s getting better, injuries, an idea he has for the Victory Bell and about him being emotional again after the game.
Below is Brown’s full press conference and some notes and excerpts from what Brown had to say:
*Brown was interviewed on TV after the game, and like he did following the season-opening win over South Carolina, he got a bit emotional. It’s obvious he’s enjoying this season and coaching this club, but is he surprised at how connected he is to the group and how much this truly means to him personally?
“I would think probably yes, but I cry for the Star Spangled Banner,” He said. “I love the games, I get excited, I love to see the kids having fun, I love to see them comeback – I love comebacks more than anything, I hate to get behind. And to win at the end like that in a rivalry game where these kids haven’t won in this game for a while, it just kind of gets me…
“Usually I’m good if I have a moment, but when the sideline reporter is asking about the significance of what these kids are doing and how hard they’re fighting and playing, it gets me.”
Does it also have something to do with the point in his distinguished career Brown finds himself, is maybe different from when he was at Texas?
“I cried some at Texas, we just won all the time. When you’re winning all the time you don’t cry much because it’s kind of what you expect. You cry when you lose. But, I sat there and watched the Virginia Tech game last year at the end, even to a point where I was getting ready to text Coach (Larry) Fedora because I like him so much and I was texting him congratulations and that ball pops out.
“And I said, ‘Eh, 97 yards, we’re still okay.’ And then I have to go back on the set so thank goodness I didn’t send it… and they score with 19 seconds left. And I’m telling you, the significance of this was that it was the same thing: ball pops out, 97 yards away, can you stop them?
“There’s a number of times on fourth down that we could have and didn’t. I could not believe we stopped the quarterback counter and w have a facemask. Game’s over, so you’re talking about emotional. GAME’S OVER, Nope, no it’s not. Let’s go again.
“Then the fade, the interference, then the first-and-goal… All that’s rushing through your head, but what I saw was kids coming off that field thinking Virginia Tech and I saw kids go out there and make a play to win the game. And that’s so significant for these kids and the rest of their lives, so significant to believe and not quit… For our fan base, it’s just a wonderful message, and I think that’s what got me.”
*Sophomore kicker Noah Ruggles was replaced by true freshman walk-on Jonathan Kim for the Duke game after he missed two potential game-winning field goals in the Tar Heels’ 43-41 loss at Virginia Tech.
Kim’s first collegiate kick was from 52 yards out and came late in the second half against the Blue Devils. His attempt landed short and right, leading Brown to make a change and put Ruggles back into the game.
Brown discussed what went into the decision to replace Kim after just one kick:
“It was a bad kick and it didn’t look like a confident kick to me. And, I thought, let’s try it, let’s go back, the change didn’t work. Jonathan kicked very well during practice… I don’t like missing field goals. If you’re going to kick them, you need to make them, that’s what I told them. It’s your only job, do your job and, if not, we’re going to go for fourth downs. I think we’re one of the top teams in the country in going for fourth downs and making it.”
The Hall of Fame head coach also touched on how he prepares his kickers in practice:
“We do it everyday, that’s the way we start practice everyday. We kick from all three spots, left hash, middle and right. And we kick both guys and we have crowd noise and I’m on a speaker phone and I say, on the last kick of each guy, ‘seven, kick to win, six, five, four, three’ like a fool everyday. And then we see if we make them.”
*The Tar Heels wore alternative navy uniforms in their win over Duke on Saturday. It was the first time UNC has sported navy since the 34-31 win at Pittsburgh on Nov. 9, 2017, with team wearing navy pants against the Panthers.
Brown spoke on the alternative jersey policy the football program has and when you can expect the team to sport them again this season:
“The way I understand the policy now is the guys get to choose an alternative uniform, once at home, once on the road,” the Carolina coach said. “And they have to use the same combination so I would think, at Pittsburgh, they’ll probably wear the navy pants, the white shirt and the navy helmet. I don’t know, that’s up to them.
“The leadership committee decides what they wear. So, every week we ask them, they have to stay within the confines of their normal uniform at home and away, except for those two games. And those uniforms were ordered last year, so they were already ordered when we got here. They’ll get another alternative uniform for next year and the kids pick them.”
*Saturday’s matchup with Virginia is Military Appreciation Day and Brown spoke on some of the things the team will be doing to honor the country’s armed forces:
“Our players, staff and coaches dedicate the game to someone in their life that’s really important in the military,” Brown said. “They will call that person, tell them that my week is dedicated to you because of all you’ve done for our country and fighting for our country and we appreciate that very much. The Bell Tower walk will be more special. We’ll have 50 members of the Army from Fort Bragg and their families that will lead the team through the Bell Tower Walk… we want the fans to get out there early to be able to say thank you to those 50 members and their families.
“The honorary coin toss participant will be retired Army Sergeant First Class and Green Beret Brant Ireland. He had seven tours in Afghanistan and lost a leg. He’s a Paralympic athlete, so it will be a very emotional crowd too because of what we all think and want to pray for and appreciate our military.”
*Jacob Turner contributed to this report
