Mack Brown has never been one to hold back his thoughts, and his recent comments about how the University of North Carolina handled his dismissal were no exception.
Brown, a respected veteran in college football, voiced his frustrations over being forced out before the end of the regular season.
“All I wanted to do was wait until the end of the year,” Brown said via On3 sports. “And they wanted me to retire on Monday, before the NC State game. We haven’t beaten State; it was really important for these kids to play well and have a chance to win. I didn’t want to break their hearts on Monday. So I said, ‘No, I won’t do that.’ And then they wanted me to do it on Friday. Well, I sure wasn’t going to do it Friday before the game.”
Ultimately, the university decided to let him go on their timeline, a move that left Brown questioning their approach, though not the need for a change in leadership.
He acknowledged the need for fresh direction but strongly believed the players deserved stability through the season, especially given the tough circumstances they’d already faced, including the loss of teammate Tylee Craft and a four-game losing streak.
“I wasn’t thinking about me. I wasn’t thinking about my future. I was thinking about what’s best for these young people,” Brown added.
Ultimately, North Carolina wasn't able to overcome the chaos of the week against N.C. State. The Tar Heels fell 35-30 to the Wolfpack and, as a result, finished the regular season with a 6-6 overall record. With the win, N.C. State reached bowl eligibility.
It's unclear at this point if Mack Brown will coach in the bowl game or not. Either way, North Carolina will get its coaching search underway as they look to rebuild their football program.