All Tar Heels

UNC Football Coach on Loss to Wolfpack: ‘I Did a Very Poor Job'

The field-storming win over Duke is about the only UNC football positive in the past six weeks.

Matt Giles

UNC football head coach Mack Brown (Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports)
In this story:

UNC football lost four of its last six games in 2021 and repeated that last-six mark in 2022.

And following the 39-20 rivalry loss at red-hot NC State (9-3, 6-2 ACC) on Saturday night, the 2023 Tar Heels (8-4, 4-4 ACC) have dropped four of six since winning six straight to begin the season and peaking at No. 10 in the AP Top 25 Poll.

If not for some calls that Duke football fans would refer to as highly favorable for UNC in the Tar Heels' 47-45 double-overtime win over the Blue Devils in Chapel Hill two weeks ago, Mack Brown's bunch would have only one win across the second half of its regular season: against FCS opponent Campbell, which finished its season at 5-6.

In his press conference following the defeat at the hands of Dave Doeren's energized Wolfpack, the 72-year-old Brown shouldered pretty much all of the blame from the get-go, especially for a dismal showing in the first half that led to a deflating 26-7 deficit entering the break.

Here's a snippet of the notably direct self-criticism that Brown expressed to the media in his opening statement:

"Congratulations to Coach Doeren and NC State. They played great. I did a very poor job of preparing our team, obviously...We were awful in the first half. It was as bad as I've ever seen us. We were awful on offense. We did some good things on defense early and then stayed out there too long and let them score...

"It's on me, completely. You can't play as bad as we did in the first half without the head coach doing a poor job. And I had our team poorly prepared, obviously."

Next Sunday, Mack Brown and his fifth UNC football squad since returning to Chapel Hill (38-26 record in that span) will find out where they are headed for their bowl game.

Future Tar Heel Kicker Advertises His 62-Yard Range

Stay tuned to All Tar Heels on SI.com for more UNC football news.

Published
Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, Duke Blue Devils on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining UNC on SI in 2023, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

Home/Football