Mack Brown explains how challenging first four games is motivating for North Carolina

A difficult start to the schedule can punch you in the mouth early if you’re not careful. Even so, Mack Brown is happy to see that North Carolina’s first few games are as tough as they are as he hopes that it’ll prepare his program in more ways than one.

Brown commented on the start of UNC’s 2023 schedule in an hour-long summer press conference a few days back. He described it as “the toughest opening four games” of his career but that, generally, it could be a good thing as it will force the Tar Heels to be ready from the jump of the season.

“You start looking at the opening part of the schedule? Probably the toughest opening four games that I’ve ever been involved with with South Carolina in Charlotte, then App State here, then Minnesota here, and then at Pitt,” Brown said.

“That’s a motivator for this team as well. Because they know that we’re gonna have to be physical in those first four games. They know we’re gonna have to be in tremendous shape. It’s gonna be hot. There’ll be a lot of running, in the sun, with very good, physical teams, all which will run the ball and run the ball well against us. That’s been one of our nemesis’,” continued Brown. “We’ve got to be ready to play and that motivates these guys even more for summer workouts.”

Brown also added that the openers should have North Carolina’s fanbase ready from the jump. Considering what all four matchups represent, especially the opening game versus the Gamecocks, he thinks fan investment and interest should be at an all-time high as UNC tries to get off on the right foot.

“It’s also a big lift for our fans. We need great fan support in Charlotte because South Carolina is coming off a tremendous finish. They beat Tennessee, they beat Clemson, and played Notre Dame down to the last play. So they’ve got a lot of momentum,” said Brown. “We do not. We didn’t finish like we wanted to and they finished as good as they finished in many, many years. So they’ll have a lot of momentum going into that ball game.”

“We’re gonna need our fans to be with us those first three games, for sure,” Brown said. “When we go to Charlotte, we want to fill Bank of America Stadium up. And then come back and be packed and be rowdy for App State and for Minnesota. Those should be tremendous ball games.”

Brown wasn’t kidding about what a rough stretch of road the the Tar Heels are starting on. In total, the four teams all finished at .500 or better and combined for a record of 32-19. Then, besides Appalachian State, all three Power Five opponents spent time in the Top-25 at some point or another.

As he pointed out, South Carolina closed by winning seven of their last 10 with an exciting finish. As for the Mountaineers, they gave UNC all that they could handle in Boone last season in a 63-61 matchup that featured a 40-point fourth quarter by the home team.

After that, Minnesota and Pittsburgh both went 9-4 in 2022. The Golden Gophers won five of their last six in the season while the Panthers closed their campaign on a five-game winning streak with two coming over Top-20 competition.

If North Carolina isn’t ready, they could easily trip out of the starting gate in 2023. However, Brown thinks this schedule will have the opposite effect as he believes that it’ll only have everyone in Chapel Hill more than primed for opening kickoff on September 2nd.