UNC Football

Mack Brown will not coach North Carolina's bowl game this season, he told reporters following the Tar Heels' 35-30 loss to NC State on Saturday.

The news comes after Brown, who was fired as UNC's head coach on Tuesday, said he was unsure if he would coach the team's bowl game despite still being allowed to coach Saturday's regular-season finale.

"Great time for me to get out, this isn't the game I signed up for," Brown said in his final postgame interview, per ESPN. "I'm leaving it better than I found it."

Mack Brown blasts North Carolina for firing him before the end of season:

“All I wanted to do was wait until the end of the year, 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… pic.twitter.com/QPwy48VmSS

— On3 (@On3sports) December 1, 2024

#CarolinaFootball x @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/2pEuDzaqVd

— Carolina Football (@UNCFootball) December 1, 2024

The Tar Heels' loss to NC State marks the final game for the program's winningest coach in history.

Despite the loss, which came on a late touchdown by NC State with under 30 seconds remaining, Brown expressed pride in his team for their performance given the circumstances.

"I'm absolutely amazed that they were able to compete like they did tonight and play as hard as they did, with all the pressure on them and with the uncertainty in their future," Brown said of his players, per ESPN. "So I'm really, really proud of them."

After Tar Heels athletic director Bubba Cunningham informed Brown of the program's decision not to move forward with him earlier this week, he was initially unsure if Brown would stay to coach the bowl game.

The veteran coach told reporters after the game that the chippy rivalry loss to the Wolfpack was "another sign from God that it's time to go" and added, "As far as the new coach goes, I will get out of the way," according to ESPN.

An all out brawl broke out a the end of the UNC vs. NC State game when state tried to plant the flag at the fifty. pic.twitter.com/YvJenAXw1g

— Jordan Crammer (@JordanCrammer) December 1, 2024

Brown had two separate stints with the Tar Heels, coaching from 1988 to 1997 and again from 2019 to 2024.

After the initial announcement that North Carolina was parting ways with him, Brown admitted it was not the "perfect time."

"While this was not the perfect time and way in which I imagined going out, no time will ever be the perfect time," Brown said in a statement, according ESPN's Andrea Adelson. "I've spent 16 seasons at North Carolina and will always cherish the memories and relationships Sally and I have built while serving as head coach."

This will mark the fifth year in a row that the Tarheels will be bowl eligible.

The North Carolina Tar Heels will not be moving forward with head football coach Mack Brown after the conclusion of the 2024 season, and could be tapping the Pittsburgh Steelers for his replacement with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.

"Reality is [UNC] reached out on preliminary call," Smith said on Thursday, according to ESPN's Brooke Pryor. "I appreciate it, love that place. But that's not my focus. I mean I've got one of the best jobs in football right now. There's a lot to be said too about [how you] can't put a price on personal and professional happiness, which I have here." Smith continued:

I've got an awesome job here. Love it here in Pittsburgh. [I] probably [have] a different mindset than I had five, four years ago where any head job, I probably would've walked there to take it.

Now my perspective's different, and when you got something good like I got here in Pittsburgh right now, family loves it here. I like the working environment, love being a Steeler.

Bruce Feldman of The Athletic first reported Wednesday that "One potentially intriguing option with very strong ties at North Carolina is Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, who we hear has some traction with key people in Chapel Hill."

Smith played at UNC as an offensive lineman and also began his coaching career as a graduate assistant for the Tar Heels under John Bunting in 2006. He transitioned to the NFL from there as a defensive quality assistant for Washington (2007-08), a defensive intern for Ole Miss (2010) and worked his way up in the Tennessee Titans coaching staff between 2011-20, eventually spending two seasons as the team's offensive coordinator.

He then was hired to be the Atlanta Falcons' head coach, compiling a 21-30 record with no playoff appearances. After he was fired in Atlanta, Mike Tomlin hired him as the team's offensive coordinator this season, and both Justin Fields and Russell Wilson have looked improved in his scheme.

Granted, Smith's offenses have never been juggernauts. As a head coach or offensive coordinator, those units have finished top-10 in yardage just once and top-10 in scoring twice out of six seasons. The Steelers rank 18th in yardage and 14th in points this year.

There's also the question of whether he could be a program-builder at the college level, where recruiting is arguably as important as Xs and Os. Or whether he would want to leave the NFL in the first place.

North Carolina is a sleeping giant in the ACC. It should be an annual conference title contender pic.twitter.com/ATA17xqZDY

— Barrett Sallee 🇺🇸 (@BarrettSallee) November 26, 2024

When @CoachMackBrown came back to restore respectability at North Carolina, the program had won a total of 5 games the previous 2 years. In his return @UNCFootball has won at least 6 games in every season. He is a HoF coach and an even better human. Much love to Mack and Sally.

— Kevin Negandhi (@KevinNegandhi) November 26, 2024

North Carolina—which has gone 44-32 in Brown's second tenure as head coach but has never emerged as a national power in football—will likely cast a wide net in its search for a replacement and "preferred to enter the search market this winter instead of a year from now, when it's expected there will be more open Power 4 jobs and thus more competition for top candidates," per Feldman.

Despite being bowl-eligible for the sixth consecutive year, Mack Brown's tenure as North Carolina's head coach is coming to an end, the school announced on Tuesday.

Brown will coach Saturday's regular season finale against NC State before departing the program.

"Mack Brown has won more games than any football coach in UNC history, and we deeply appreciate all that he has done for Carolina Football and our University,'' athletic director Bubba Cunningham said in a statement.

"Over the last six seasons—his second campaign in Chapel Hill—he has coached our team to six bowl berths, including an Orange Bowl, while mentoring 18 NFL draft picks. He and his wife Sally have done an outstanding job supporting the Carolina community, including raising funds for UNC Children's Hospital while hosting other popular events such as the Ladies Day Clinic. Both also have been terrific in leading our program during some incredibly tough stretches, including the tragic passing of wide receiver Tylee Craft this season."

Mack later issued a statement saying his "total focus is on helping these players and coaches prepare" for Saturday's game against the Wolfpack:

pic.twitter.com/szkRuc1seY

— Ralph D. Russo (@ralphDrussoATH) November 26, 2024

Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports and 247Sports first reported that Brown informed Tar Heels players on Tuesday he had been fired.

Mack Brown is owed about $2.8 million in buyout, per @ByBerkowitz's examination of his contract.

Brown and UNC administration spent time very recently discussing his future, hoping to reach an agreeable exit. A resolution could not be reached. He wanted to continue coaching.

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) November 26, 2024

Brown was under contract to the Tar Heels through the 2027 season after signing a one-year extension in February 2023. His base salary was $5 million annually.

North Carolina hired Brown in November 2018 after parting ways with Larry Fedora. Brown had been out of coaching for five years at that point following his resignation from the University of Texas in December 2013.

Brown previously coached the Tar Heels for 10 seasons from 1988 to '97 before he was hired by Texas. He went 67-46 with six bowl appearances in his first stint with the program.

The Tar Heels had an immediate turnaround during Brown's second tenure. They went from 2-9 in Fedora's final season to 7-6 with a win over Temple in the Military Bowl in Brown's first year.

Brown's peak in his most recent tenure with the Tar Heels was in 2022. He led the team to a 9-5 record and an appearance in the ACC Championship Game.

North Carolina has made a bowl game in each of the past five seasons. It is bowl eligible again this season with a 6-5 record heading into the regular-season finale against North Carolina State on Saturday.

A decision on whether or not Brown will coach in the bowl game has not yet been made. North Carolina is currently projected to play USC in the Sun Bowl on Dec. 31.

Amid rumors that the 2024 season would be his last, North Carolina head coach Mack Brown plans to return next season.

Per 247Sports' Matt Zenitz, Brown has told people around the program, including the staff, players and recruits, that he will remain with the Tar Heels beyond the 2024 season. Brown, who is 73 years old, is in his sixth season at North Carolina.

Brown, who coached the Tar Heels from 1988 to 1997 and returned in 2019, took over a team that had won just five games across the two seasons before his arrival. He has led North Carolina to five consecutive winning seasons and has the chance to do so again this year.

The Tar Heels' best finish under Brown came in 2022 when they went 9-5 and reached the ACC Championship, losing to Clemson.

North Carolina started the 2024 season 3-4, but has since won three straight games over Virginia, Florida State and Wake Forest and has meetings with Boston College and NC State to close out the year.

Wins over the next two weeks would give Brown his fourth season with eight wins or more since taking over at North Carolina.

Before his time with the Tar Heels, Brown was the head coach of Texas from 1998 to 2013. During his tenure, he led the Longhorns to a 158-48 record and won two Big 12 championships and a national championship in 2005.

While Brown has accomplished plenty in his 50-plus seasons as a coach, he's not ready to call it a career yet and will look to lead the Tar Heels to more success in 2025.

HEIGHT: 6'0"

WEIGHT: 221"

HAND: 9⅜"

ARM: 30½"

WINGSPAN: 74¾"

40-YARD DASH: 4.46"

VERTICAL: 38"

BROAD: 10'10"

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POSITIVES

— Equipped with strong, dense, and well-proportionate build/frame.

— Runs hard and behind his pads downhill with a finisher mentality.

— Combines vision and patience to work through the defensive front.

— Gap scheme fit with light footwork when pressing the line of scrimmage.

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NEGATIVES

— Lacks open-field elusiveness and wiggle to make defenders miss in short/confined spaces.

— Limited explosiveness when forced to cut laterally.

— Improving pass pro technique and hand placements.

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NOTES

— Born March 16, 2003

— 4-Star recruit in 2022 class, per 247Sports

— 2024: First-team All-ACC; Second-team All-American; Finalist for the Doak Walker Award

— 2023: First-Team All-ACC; Doak Walker Award Finalist; Second-Team AP All-America

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OVERALL

Omarion Hampton is a hard-charging downhill running back with experience carrying a rushing offense.

Hampton is built like an NFL running back. He runs behind his pads with a strong leg drive. He has good body control and contact balance to bounce off tacklers and gain yards after contact. He converts speed-to-power well to run through defenders and fall forward. Hampton is at his best when his shoulders are squared to the line of scrimmage. He is an ideal fit for downhill gap scheme run offenses with a mixture of inside zones. He is a strong short-yardage and red-zone runner because of his physical and powerful running style.

When pressing the line of scrimmage, Hampton displays light and quick footwork to change running lanes and find daylight. He does a good job reducing his frame and getting skinny to fit through small creases. Hampton is a slashing-style runner once he breaks into the open field. He plays with a good combination of burst and speed to generate big plays as a runner and receiver. Hampton is a three-down player with his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield and willingness in pass protection. He has what teams need in a bell cow or lead running back.

On the downside, Hampton is not an elusive runner. He does not have the wiggle to force missed tackles with finesse rather than brute strength. Hampton is not an explosive lateral cutter with the ball in his hands. There is hip stiffness limiting full range of motion to make defenders miss in a phone booth. He is more suited for vertical cuts working downhill. Hampton is a willing pass protector, but his technique can improve. He should adjust his punches and hand placement to maximize his physical strength and ability to anchor.

In conclusion, Omarion Hampton is a talented and versatile offensive player. He makes his impact felt as a receiver and runner. Hampton projects best in gap/power run schemes, which allow him to attack the line of scrimmage with momentum and squared shoulders. He should excel after contact and score touchdowns in the red zone.

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GRADE: 8.0 (Year 1 Starter — Late 1st - Early 2nd)

OVERALL RANK: 22

POSITION RANK: RB2

PRO COMPARISON: Shades of David Montgomery

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Dame Parson

The University of North Carolina announced Saturday that wide receiver Tylee Craft, 23, died after being diagnosed with lung cancer.

"Tylee meant so much to so many and affected us in ways we'll always be thankful for. He was 1-of-1 and, while he won't be with us in body, he'll be watching over us with his endearing smile and endless positivity," the school said in its statement.

It is with love and fond memories that we announce Tylee Craft has begun his journey on the other side.

Tylee meant so much to so many and affected us in ways we’ll always be thankful for. He was 1-of-1 and, while he won’t be with us in body, he’ll be watching over us with his… pic.twitter.com/UutVS5QSKk

— Carolina Football (@UNCFootball) October 12, 2024

The Tar Heels honored Craft, who was diagnosed in 2022, before Saturday's contest, which was singled out as the Cancer Awareness Game. His family was also brought onto the field.

Tylee Strong. ✊ pic.twitter.com/mMTqq1tN6G

— Carolina Football (@UNCFootball) October 12, 2024

Mack Brown embraced Tylee Craft’s mother throughout the 2-minute tribute to her son, then stepped back and waved his hands to lead a 13-second tribute to the Tar Heel who lost his life to cancer Saturday morning. Unspeakable grief today at Carolina. pic.twitter.com/liQRlRpvfM

— Lee Pace (@LeePaceTweet) October 12, 2024

Wide receiver J.J. Jones also wore Craft's No. 13 jersey.

JJ Jones will honor Tylee today by wearing his jersey during the game 🩵#CarolinaFootball 🏈 #UNCommon pic.twitter.com/OBnKvf2OrU

— Carolina Football (@UNCFootball) October 12, 2024

.@jjjones_5 🙌 pic.twitter.com/WoDhAGAwPe

— Carolina Football (@UNCFootball) October 12, 2024

Jones called Craft, a native of Sumter, South Carolina, a "legend" in his home state and said "God blessed me with another brother."

Tylee Craft. A South Carolina legend. I thank you for everything you’ve done for me and inspiring me to always fight! God blessed me with another brother. Love you forever Lee ❤️ pic.twitter.com/1u9A0ZxnEo

— Jj Jones (@jjjones_5) October 12, 2024

Head coach Mack Brown said he and the team weren't made aware of Craft's death until after their 41-34 loss to Georgia Tech.

Craft signed with UNC ahead of the 2020 season. He made 11 appearances through his sophomore campaign before his Stage 4 lung cancer diagnosis forced him to put his football career on hold.

ESPN's Anna Katherine Clemmons wrote in August about how Craft maintained a regular presence around the program after shifting to a student coach role. He continued to attend team meetings, workouts and practices.

"You wouldn't know to this day that he had cancer if you didn't know," wide receivers coach Lonnie Galloway said to Clemmons. "He carries himself greatly as far as, he comes to practice, he goes to meetings, he goes to get treatment, he comes back to practice. I'll say, 'You know, Tylee, you don't have to be here.' He'll say, 'Coach, I need to be here.'"

Brown told reporters following UNC's 34-24 defeat to Pittsburgh on Oct. 5 that Craft had been hospitalized amid his ongoing battle.

Mack Brown will be UNC's head coach throughout the 2024 NCAA football season.

The 73-year-old's comments following the Tar Heels' 70-50 Week 4 loss to James Madison led to some speculation that he may retire during the 2024 season. However, Brendan Marks and Bruce Feldman of The Athletic reported that Brown "will remain the program's coach through the rest of the 2024 season."

The Tar Heels are 3-1 and set to head into ACC play.

Brown's comments centered around his telling his team that if it didn't feel like it was getting the leadership it needed from him, then he would step aside, per David Hale of ESPN.

Brown later expressed regret over this statement and felt like he put too much weight on his players.

"I shouldn't have put that pressure on them, so I'm disappointed in me," Brown said, per Hale. "I love my job, I love these kids, and I love this place. That's why I hate losing so much."

He told Chris Low of ESPN that the original comments were "emotional" from the loss and that they can be "misconstrued" as a result of that.

Brown is a College Football Hall of Famer and won a national championship during his time as the head coach of Texas. He is in his second stint with North Carolina and has compiled a 41-28 record since taking over in 2019.

While he will be on the sideline for the remainder of this season, the situation does show that he likely is mulling retirement once again. He is signed through the 2028 season, but North Carolina may need to start looking at new coaches much sooner.

The Tar Heels will look to get back on track in Week 5 when they travel to Durham to face archrival Duke.

UNC head coach Mack Brown says it was "embarrassing" to see his Power Four team lose 70-50 to visiting JMU on Saturday.

"Embarrassing day. Shocking day. You shouldn't be at North Carolina and lose to a Group of Five team, period," Brown said after the loss. "There are no excuses. Our defense, who played great all spring, all preseason, and played outstanding for the first three games, looked awful today."

“Embarrassing day. Shocking day.”

Mack Brown says UNC’S loss to JMU was absolutely UNACCEPTABLE 😬

(via UNCFootball/X) pic.twitter.com/w9WD9DHTgE

— Bleacher Report CFB (@BR_CFB) September 21, 2024

Brown also told ESPN's Chris Low that he's not resigning following a report from Adam Smith of Inside Carolina that "he was walking away from the job after the Tar Heels' embarrassing 70-50 loss to James Madison on Saturday at Kenan Stadium."

"I'm not resigning. I'll be back at work Monday," Brown told Low.

Brown also told Low that he told UNC players that Saturday's loss to JMU was his fault and that he "would step away if he couldn't get things fixed."

UNC reportedly paid the Dukes $500,000 to travel to Chapel Hill for Sunday's game.

JMU, after being held to 43 total points through the first two games of the season, responded by setting a program record with 53 points in the first half alone.

The Tar Heels defense wasn't the only part of his team's game Brown criticized following the historic loss.

"We had communication problems, we had missed tackles," Brown said (transcription h/t Inside Carolina's Evan Rogers.) "We had guys wide open for a touchdown. Our special teams, who had been better than the three teams we had played the first three games, had an onside kick that hit us in the chest and they get it for a score. Had a blocked punt that they get a score from."

UNC quarterback Jacolby Criswell got the start on Saturday after Brown previously said he would split snaps with Conner Harrell against JMU. Criswell went 28-of-48 for 475 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions in the loss.

Harrell, who entered for Criswell in the second quarter, turned over the ball on the Tar Heels' 27-yard line on his first snap. The Dukes ran in a touchdown on the next drive.

"Jacolby, I thought, played really, really well. He even had an interception for a touchdown right before the half," Brown said. "And Conner came in for one play and fumbled the ball, and that ended up being a touchdown. So it can only come back to one person, and that's me. I've hired everybody on this staff. I hired everybody that works in this building, and I've signed every player on this team. So I mean, the people that want to blame me, they should, because I am at fault 100 percent."

The UNC coach concluded: "Again, there's only one place to put it, and that is on me, 100 percent, I got big shoulders, and I'm embarrassed. I'm embarrassed for our whole program that we would put a product like that on the field. I feel really bad about that."

Brown said that he told his players they "deserved" the boos from the fans at Kenan Memorial Stadium as the Tar Heels left for halftime trailing 53-21.

"Play bad and people are gonna boo," Brown said.

Saturday's loss marked the most points given up by a Power Four program to a Group of Five team since 2012, per CBS Sports. The game also tied a UNC record for the most points given up in a single game, set by East Carolina in 2014, although JMU is the only visiting team to have achieved the feat in Kenan Stadium.

Brown and first-year Tar Heels defensive coordinator Geoff Collins have one week to turn UNC's outlook around before the team begins ACC play with a road game against Duke next Saturday.

North Carolina suffered a 70-50 blowout defeat at the hands of James Madison on Saturday, but the disappointment didn't stop there.

According to Darren Rovell of Cllct.com, the Tar Heels paid the Dukes $500,000 to visit Chapel Hill for Saturday's contest.

UNC is paying James Madison $500,000 to play them today.

At the HALF...

James Madison 53, North Carolina 21.

👀👀👀👀

— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) September 21, 2024

North Carolina fell into an early 11-0 hole in the first quarter. While the Tar Heels were able to briefly take a 14-11 lead, James Madison scored 28 points in the second quarter and held a 53-21 advantage at halftime.

53 points are the most that North Carolina has ever allowed in a half throughout the school's history, per Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer.

Head coach Mack Brown's squad struggled on both sides of the ball at separate spots throughout the game.

While the Tar Heels were able to score 50 points and rack up 616 yards of total offense, they also committed five turnovers and failed to convert on seven of their nine third-down opportunities.

North Carolina gave up just 17 points in the second half after James Madison's first-half scoring barrage, but the team still allowed Dukes quarterback Alonza Barnett III to dominate through the air and on the ground. Barnett finished 22-of-34 for 388 passing yards, recording seven total touchdowns.

The Tar Heels aren't the only team to pay an opponent before subsequently losing the game in 2024, but it's still an embarrassing result. Florida State paid Memphis $1.3 million before falling to the Tigers on Sept. 14 and Notre Dame was required to give $1.4 million to Northern Illinois after a loss on Sept. 7.

UNLV was also a recent Group of Five team to upset a Power Conference opponent, earning $700,000 after beating Kansas on Sept. 14.

The Tar Heels won by a combined 53 points in their past two games against Charlotte and NC Central, but they were on the opposite end of a lopsided result on Saturday.

North Carolina endured a disastrous first half on Saturday against James Madison, falling behind 53-21 at halftime.

JMU quarterback Alonza Barnett III completed 14-of-21 passes for 288 yards and three touchdowns. Barnett also rushed for 64 yards and two more scores. Omarion Dollison (two catches, 119 yards, one touchdown) and Cam Ross (6/109/1) both eclipsed the century mark by halftime. The Dukes also had 418 yards through two quarters.

The first quarter alone was a defensive and special team disaster.

They just turned the onside kick into a TD

— Tanner Spearman (@tannerspearman) September 21, 2024

And yet JMU led only 25-21 early in the second quarter. However, the Dukes then rolled off four unanswered touchdowns to continue the demolition. The last score was a Terrence Spence 33-yard pick-six.

UNC is paying James Madison $500,000 to play them today.

At the HALF...

James Madison 53, North Carolina 21.

👀👀👀👀

— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) September 21, 2024

It was a brutal 30 minutes for UNC and head coach Mack Brown, who caught much of the ire on social media afterward.

I apologize for suggesting James Madison could score 70 on North Carolina. Looking more like 90 now.

— Pat Forde (@ByPatForde) September 21, 2024

James Madison scored a total of 43 points in 2 games vs. Charlotte & Gardner-Webb. The Dukes have 46 points ... in 22 minutes at UNC. James Madison up 46-21

— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) September 21, 2024

Mack Brown has no business surviving this

— Billy M (@BillyM_91) September 21, 2024

Mack Brown saw the power of Cal Twitter this week, saw a trip to Berkeley on the horizon in 2025, and began filling out his retirement papers, because... pic.twitter.com/v2zkazedqW

— Avinash Kunnath (@avinashkunnath) September 21, 2024

I don’t like writing mean things about Mack Brown, who has always been such a gentleman personally and helpful professionally. But sometimes it is necessary to write mean things.

— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) September 21, 2024

It’s on Mack Brown for not having this team ready week in and week out. Just brutal. https://t.co/8j5TNTjqVS

— Anthony Pagnotta (Flounder) (@HTBAnthony) September 21, 2024

Bubba should look at this and make the decision today to fire Mack brown. The program is already on a steep decline and sure we miss out on a few recruits but stop delaying the rebuild. https://t.co/pugkfnlOLH

— Tyler Gibbs (@theGibbster3000) September 21, 2024

Mack Brown is being embarrassingly out coached. This @UNCFootball team is woefully unprepared for this game. It’s predictable but disheartening.

— Ray Rudell (@RudellRT) September 21, 2024

This game alone should be enough reason to end the Mack Brown 2.0 era.

This is flat out embarrassing.

— Zack Pearson (@Zack_Pearson) September 21, 2024

Mack Brown tarnishes his legacy more and more every year pic.twitter.com/lada97xnja

— College Football Report (@CFBRep) September 21, 2024

Folks, this is a real score.

James Madison 46, UNC 21 .. in the second quarter!

— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) September 21, 2024

A historic defensive meltdown in Chapel Hill. https://t.co/fpDyTWIQk8

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) September 21, 2024

Today is the beginning of Mack Brown’s Farewell Tour. I’m not sure he makes it the rest of the season.

— Brett Jensen WBT News (@Brett_Jensen) September 21, 2024

The 73-year-old Brown is in his second stint as UNC's head coach. He began in Chapel Hill in 1988, coaching there until 1997 before leaving for Texas. Brown coached the Longhorns from 1998-2013 and then returned to UNC in 2019. Brown has 285 career wins and notably led Texas to an undefeated season and the 2005 national championship. Eight of Brown's teams also finished top 10 in the Associated Press poll.

However, Brown's return to UNC has been a struggle. The Tar Heels entered Saturday at 41-27 overall under Brown since 2019 and 24-18 in the ACC. Only one of Brown's teams has finished Top 25 (2020), and four of the five teams lost in a bowl game.

This year's UNC squad started 3-0 with wins over Minnesota, Charlotte and UNC Central, but the JMU performance obviously leaves a lot to be desired and brings about questions regarding Brown's future.