Mack Brown is a college football, and North Carolina Tar Heels, legend. The 73-year-old took UNC from obscurity to national relevance during the 1990’s, and after an incredibly successful stint with the Texas Longhorns he returned to Chapel Hill in 2019 and once again helped revitalize football at North Carolina – including five straight seasons of bowl eligibility.
But, as it so often happens, the college football game seems to be passing Brown by. A loss to James Madison in Week 4, where the ‘Heels surrendered 70 points, was the first big sign things aren’t going well for Carolina. A loss to rival Duke in Week 5, where the Blue Devils outscored the Tar Heels 21-3 in the second half, has the fanbase ready for a new head man to take over in 2025.
Brown’s contract runs through 2027, and it would cost the program about $20 million to buy him out, but it’s reasonable to project a mutual parting of ways at the end of the season could be in the cards.
If that happens, who might North Carolina target to take over the program? Below are five candidates who make sense, including the coach who took the Tar Heels to task in Week 4: