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Mack Brown on North Carolina’s season: ‘This story isn’t finished’

Stephen Samraby:Steve Samra11/12/22

SamraSource

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(Lecka/Getty Images)

Mack Brown and North Carolina are enjoying a fantastic 2022, but the Tar Heels leader recognizes the story is far from over.

Speaking with the media, Brown assessed the beginning of his team’s season, and stated there’s plenty more wins to be had for North Carolina.

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“This sounds like coach-speak, but it’s not about me. Those kids are 5-0 on the road. This win was so important to keep our journey alive. This story isn’t finished,” Brown stated, following the Tar Heels capturing a big victory last weekend. “There’s still a chapter left. It’s about them. It’s about the Carolina fans. The reason I was doing this to the fans, they took their time, they took their money, they drove or flew into Charlottesville, which is not easy to do when you sit and watch it on TV. Now, when fans come, I applaud them, man. We need fans. We need the same crowd at Winston-Salem. A lot of times crowds in the ACC don’t seem like they drive a lot, and we need for Carolina — when I was here before, we filled up every stadium, and we need that again. We need Carolina fans to buy every empty seat. They did at Duke. There was a bunch of them here today, and hopefully there will be a bunch of them at Winston-Salem.

“But I really don’t think, if it was about me, it’d all be about me, but it’s really not. You know, there’s so much that I’m so proud of, these kids, these coaches, I want them to win so badly. I want to win for Bubba [Cunningham], he hired me. I want to win for North Carolina fans, it’s been a long time since we were 8-1, so really I don’t have a place in there. I’m proud that part of what we are doing is helping everybody appreciate Carolina football again.”

While the Tar Heels are enjoying immense success, Mack Brown is keeping his eye on the big picture. He’s revitalizing North Carolina, and the sky is the limit for his program going forward.

Mack Brown evaluates Drake Maye’s Heisman candidacy

Continuing, Mack Brown isn’t ready to send Drake Maye to New York for the Heisman just yet.

Speaking with the media, Brown evaluated Mayes Heisman campaign, but he wants to keep the focus on winning football games at the moment.

“I think we’ve got to finish the season to see,” stressed Brown. “I remember in talking to so many of the Heisman voters, because we had guys at Texas, and they always say at the end of the year, ‘That’s a Heisman moment.’ That’s what gets you there. It’s got to be a game. 

“You’ve got to win, and you’ve got to keep playing good, so I think it’s too early.”

Alas, Brown is right about keeping the focus on winning, and Maye would say the same. Still, it’s hard not to have dreams of the Tar Heels quarterback winning the award with the season he’s currently putting together.