3 Mack Brown replacements UNC football should already be thinking about

Major college football news dropped and it's not what a lot of people were expecting. Earlier in the week, it was confirmed that North Carolina head coach Mack Brown would delay retirement and that he'd be back on the sidelines for the Tar Heels in 2025. Not so fast.

On Tuesday morning, the breaking update arrived that UNC has decided to make the decision for him, firing Brown. Now, the legendary head coach will lead his team for the season finale against NC State, but it's up in the air if he'll stick around for the bowl game.

With the Early Signing Period coming Dec. 4 and the transfer portal opening up soon too, UNC has to start looking at potential Brown replacements as soon as possible. With that said, here are three names that immediately come to mind:

3. Tulane HC Jon Sumrall

To start us off, we've got to bring up Tulane's Jon Sumrall, who has done a fantastic job with the Green Wave this campaign. Tulane has surprised a lot of people, as the program is 9-2 on the season. Thanks to Sumrall's efforts, the Green Wave are ranked the No. 20 team in the country.

Outside of losses to Oklahoma and Kansas State this season, Tulane has looked sharp on both sides of the ball, with the offense scoring at will at times. Sumrall has proven he can turn a program around. He could prove to be a smart hire by UNC if they go in that direction.

2. UTSA HC Jeff Traylor

Another veteran coach who needs to be considered is UTSA's Jeff Traylor. Traylor took over things at UTSA in 2020. Before that, he was an assistant at Texas, SMU and Arkansas. UTSA is 6-5 on the year following a recent win over Temple.

With six wins, it means UTSA is bowl eligible for the fifth consecutive season. Traylor has done fantastic work with the Roadrunners, as he's 45-19 as the head man in charge in San Antonio. He wouldn't be a 'splash hire' for the Tar Heels, but similar to Sumrall, Traylor knows how to win wherever he goes.

1. Penn State OC Andy Kotelnicki

This would be the 'splash' move people are talking about. Andy Kotelnicki is a riser in coaching circles and he's done tremendous work at Penn State. James Franklin is lucky to have him, but even he must know that eventually Kotelnicki is going to leavy PSU to run his own show.

That show could end up being in North Carolina. Kotelnicki is an offensive guru and he has the Penn State O looking superb in 2024. The Nittany Lions are the No. 4 team in the country and they've got CFP title dreams on their minds. The team's full focus is on closing the year out strong, but don't be shocked if an interview request from UNC for Kotelnicki comes in the near future.