Scott Forbes on building North Carolina baseball: 'I'm never going to be Nick Saban'

North Carolina sits on the cusp of claiming the ACC title after dispatching Louisville with a series sweep over the weekend.

It would be the first regular-season conference championship for the Tar Heels since 2018, which was also the last time the program appeared in Omaha at the College World Series.

And coach Scott Forbes had a funny quip following the final win over Louisville this weekend.

“A great win. Really excited. I think we won the division from what everybody tells me,” Forbes said. “I’m never going to be Nick Saban. I’m humble enough to know that. But I sure can try to do everything that he’s done, so I’ve talked to our guys about the importance of being process-oriented. Outcomes can be distractions. Don’t get caught up in it. We’re going to get here tomorrow and get back after it. But a good weekend.”

Not a bad coach to model yourself after at all.

Forbes has had a good deal of success in his four years with the Tar Heels. After going 28-27 in his first season and barely squeaking into a regional, Forbes won 42 games and reached an NCAA Super Regional in his second season. Last year was a 36-win campaign and back to a regional again.

This year could be the best yet by just about every metric. The team has already won 39 games and should be a regional host, if not a super host.

Forbes pinpointed the team’s stellar play at home and one pivotal series as key factors in this year’s success.

“You know, honestly I still think it goes back, I mean I know we played well going into Wake,” Forbes said. “But I don’t know, if we lose that series, who knows what our confidence level is like, because winning does help, it’s contagious. We played well at home, obviously. But to win it there, to sweep there, our guys are human beings.

“We’ve won a lot of games at North Carolina. I think they felt like, ‘Hey, we’re better than people think we are.’ And since that day, hopefully it will continue the whole season they play with that chip, like we want to show everybody that. That’s how I explain it.”

Of course, Forbes thinks his team is fit to win in any circumstance.

“I think they can win on the road too,” he said. “Might have to, so if we get to Omaha it’s on the road, so it would be good to make it out there.”