May Mack Report Part III: Many Questions With Visits Coming

CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina Coach Mack Brown met with the media Tuesday morning to discuss his program as it gears toward the summer while also fielding questions from the media.

Among the things Brown discussed centered on the importance of June for hosting prospect camps, visits from recruits, the parameters regarding COVID and vaccines for those visits, his roster moving forward, the health of the team once summer workouts begin in late May, specifics about some position groups, and how the staff will plan moving ahead with respect depth, roles, and the skill sets of certain players.

We are breaking the Mack Report into three parts: The first will focus more on a state of the program and issues moving forward as the Tar Heels gear up for fall camp and the 2021 season; the second will focus more on position groups and players; and the third will be about recruiting next month when the dead period ending and UNC hosting camps, official visits and more.

Above is the entire press conference and below are some notes and pulled quotes from what Brown had to say:

*The NCAA will end the recruiting dead period at the end of May, meaning June 1 prospects and coaches can meet face-to-face for the first time since early March of last year, and it also means prospects can visit campuses in unofficial and official visits, and also attend camps at schools.

With this, UNC has already started scheduling official visits for some prospects as well as its June day camps.

Starting with the day camps, which begin June 12, what are some of the concerns Brown and the staff still have?

“June is going to be crazy because we can have people back on campus,” Brown said. “The staff and I are so excited about that… We’re figuring out the numbers for camps. We think we can have a certain number on each field and then you’ve got to figure out the parents.

“Our county and our university are still trying to tell us (if) you have to have a vaccine? Do you have to have a negative COVID test and how soon before they get here? Is it 48 hours, is it 72 hours? What happens if somebody gets here and doesn’t have a test, or do we just have to turn them around?”

In planning ahead without being armed with all necessary information, Brown said they have already decided to host two camps June 12 and two on the 13th. This will cut down on the sizes of what would have normally been single camp sessions on those days.

*Another issue with respect to the camps is all of the prospects have other schools wanting them to visit in June, but the guidelines that either are for some or will eventually be in place for all won’t be the same. So, UNC’s approach to dealing with that as of now?

“Basically, what we’ve told them is just sign up, and when we figure it all out and if (a) player doesn’t fit the guidelines or if they don’t want to come based on the guidelines, we totally understand ‘and we’ll just give you your money back’ and move on,” Brown said.

*As noted, prospects can also take official and unofficial visits beginning next month. The staff has concerns there as well.

“So, we’re looking at the same thing with official visits,” Brown said. “Will there be COVID requirements as such or guidelines for official visits? And if so, what are they? We’re asking, since it comes up here in June, try to help us, give us guidelines as fast as you can.”

Brown and his wife Sally recently moved into a house .98 miles from the Kenan Football Center, meaning they are allowed to host prospects in their home. The NCAA puts a one-mile limit on that, so Brown plans on hosting prospects and their families in his home often. But he isn’t sure what Orange County will allow, so he cannot proceed forward with those plans.

There are also questions still open regarding where recruits and their families can stay when in town for official visits. Plenty of questions remain, yet very few answers are available.

“I’m so tired of hearing with a COVID question, ‘I’m no sure, we’ll have to look at it,’” Brown said.

The staff can ask prospects if they and their families have been vaccinated, so when scheduling official visits, which are consuming and expensive. The problem, Brown said, is they aren’t sure what to ask. He believes that those who say they are vaccinated will have to show proof when they get to UNC.

Brown acknowledged the uncertainty makes navigating this huge process quite difficult.

“It is very frustrating,” he said. “And I do understand. We’ve all had the year of unknown and difficulties and we’re still there.”

*The numbers of positives about kids being back allowed on campus for visits are seemingly endless for the UNC staff, but among the exciting ones for Brown is that none of the 2022 or 2023 prospects have seen the facility upgrades. In fact, the current Carolina team hasn’t even been allowed in the new meeting rooms, so when the prospects get in-person tours next month, there are plenty of additions Brown can’t wait for them to see.

“We’ve done so much to our facilities and none of these guys have seen them,” the coach said. “So, it’s going to be so cool that they get to actually – they’ve seen them on zoom, they’ve seen them on facetime, but to actually walk in here and see our new meeting rooms…

“A lot of the guys we’re taking to now have never been here. And we’re saying, ‘How do you like us?’

‘Uh, Coach, I’ve never met you.’

‘How do you like coach (Lonnie) Galloway?’

‘Coach, I’ve never seen him. I’ve talked to him on zoom, but I’ve never met him.’

So, now perhaps the program’s two greatest attributes will again be a part of recruiting: The campus and their in-person skills.

“I think the biggest thing is we recruit on relationships,” Brown said. “We have a great product, but we want to know the people and we want them to know us. And that’s why we offer so few scholarships. And we haven’t been able to do that as well on zoom. So, I’ve been talking to these great young men for a year and haven’t met them.”