North Carolina football has decided to part ways with Mack Brown after five years in his second stint as the Tar Heels head coach.
Brown served as the head coach in Chapel Hill from 1988-97 before leaving to take over the Texas program, then came back to UNC in 2019. His overall record with the Tar Heels is 113-78-1, making him the winningest coach in program history.
However, it was time for the program to move on from the 73-year-old, and earlier this week, athletic director Bubba Cunningham did just that.
Now, the program’s focus shifts to replacing Brown, and with the search starting somewhat late in the season, it will be very interesting to see who ends up taking the gig.
According to Football Scoop, at least one Big 12 coach makes a ton of sense, at least from the perspective of “fit.”
While the majority of the buzz is around Dan Mullen, the former Florida and Mississippi State head coach, Iowa State’s Matt Campbell has his name swirling a bit, too.
“Matt Campbell is right there in terms of fit for being able to build a program, a healthy culture and, frankly, flourishing at a spot where basketball tends to loom over football,” Football Scoop’s John Brice said.
Campbell has Iowa State in the thick of the Big 12 race with a 9-2 record, putting them in a four-way tie for first place heading into Week 14.
The Cyclones are set to face Kansas State in Farmageddon on Saturday, with a win guaranteeing them a spot in the Big 12 Championship Game next weekend.
