Normal Recruiting Cycle Hitting Crucial Homestrech

CHAPEL HILL – If one were to equate the activity surrounding college football these last few weeks measuring it by heat, the sun's registration on that meter just might fall short.

Some also might call it the silly season, especially with respect to the job jumping by several prominent head coaches. The transfer portal, firings, and the early signing period, instituted several years ago, has triggered so much of this chaos.

And that is really what everything comes back to: recruiting. It also happens to have been the primary focus of North Carolina’s coaching staff since its loss to NC State on Nov. 26, and will remain so through the weekend.

The Tar Heels formally begin preparation Saturday for their game versus South Carolina on Dec. 30 in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl in Charlotte, but this weekend is also the last opportunity for prospects to visit campuses before a lengthy dead period hits. So, UNC will welcome quite a few official visits.

“We have a big recruiting weekend this weekend,” said UNC Coach Mack Brown on Wednesday. “All the recruits get to come and watch us start for bowl practice, and then signing day comes up Wednesday the 15th. We are anticipating having probably the best signing day in the history of North Carolina football.”

UNC’s 16-member class of 2022 is currently ranked No. 8 in the nation. It includes two 5-star prospects and nine 4-star kids. Eight of the commits are among the new Rivals250 that was released earlier this week.

But until those kids’ signatures are on the dotted lines of their letters of intent, the staff must continue to recruit them, which is what Carolina’s coaches spent much of their time doing over the last 10 or so days. But Brown thoroughly enjoys it, maybe more now than ever before because this crucial component to filling a program’s coffers was actually taken away from everyone courtesy of COVID. But it’s back.

“It's really exciting. It's been so much fun over the last week and a half to be out in schools and see coaches and players again that we didn't get to do through the COVID years, for really a year and a half,” Brown said. “And you missed it and then it's just it's great to go be able to say thank you to all of the people in the lives of the players that we’re signing. And then see their excitement as it builds toward signing day, so that is really good for us.”

That personal touch has helped make Brown one of the more successful recruiters in the nation over the last four decades. It also feeds his personality and skill set.

“It’s great for me to go talk to the families and see them face-to-face,” he said. “And reiterate where we are as a program and show them how close we are to being a great team, not a good team. We went from being the worse team in the league to the middle of the pack and now it’s time to take another step.

“We are getting better and we have the ability to do that, but you need to see them face-to-face. I haven’t been able to see the high school coaches, so this is great for me to be able to see them.”

Brown returned to Chapel Hill mainly to do the post-Duke’s Mayo Bowl announcement press conference, and soon after wad back on the road again. He won’t return until just before the team holds it annual banquet Friday night.

In addition to maintaining the 16 commits, UNC is working to add to the class. Be it flipping a player currently committed elsewhere, or laying the foundation for a few possible February signees, these next few days are vital to the program. Younger prospects for the classes of 2023 and 2024 will also be targeted, as continuing to build those relationships is a major part of the ongoing process.