Regardless of main the Tar Heels to 6 consecutive six-win seasons, Brown’s failure to area a aggressive protection was his final downfall.
In North Carolina’s most up-to-date run below Brown (he additionally coached this system from 1988-97), it completed no higher than forty fourth in scoring protection.
That was Brown’s first season again at Chapel Hill. In his final 5 seasons (2020-24), North Carolina ranked sixty fifth (29.4 factors per recreation), one hundred and fifth (32.1 factors per recreation), 102nd (30.8 factors per recreation), seventy fifth (27.3 factors per recreation) and 83rd (27.5 factors per recreation) in scoring protection.
The porous Tar Heels protection squandered some excellent offenses, together with in 2022 and 2023, when the group’s assault was led by quarterback Drake Maye, the No. 3 total decide of the 2024 NFL Draft.
North Carolina went 17-10 these two seasons, ending every unranked by the Faculty Soccer Playoff committee and Related Press voters.
Earlier than Maye, quarterback Sam Howell (2019-21) led the ACC in touchdowns twice (2019, 2020) and yards in 2020, however the Tar Heels solely went 15-10 throughout that span.
In Week 4 this season, North Carolina misplaced by 20 to James Madison (8-3, 4-3 Solar Belt) regardless of scoring 50 factors.
In its most up-to-date loss, a 41-21 resolution to Boston Faculty (6-5, 3-4 ACC) final Saturday, the Eagles gained their most yards (420) in opposition to an FBS opponent this season.
Pittsburgh (7-4, 3-4 ACC) and Georgia Tech (7-4, 5-3 ACC) additionally had their finest offensive performances in opposition to power-conference competitors when going through the Tar Heels.
North Carolina’s subsequent head coach should have a transparent plan to repair the protection for this system to interrupt into the convention’s high tier.
If Brown had one, he may nonetheless have the job.
