Mack Brown emphasizes the importance of building culture, the environment in the program

Mack Brown is officially six months in his second retirement from College Coaching after his end of November, who closed the door in his second career -stint in the form of late November North Carolina. It was certainly not the end that the 73-year-old Brown had imagined for himself when he returned to Chapel Hill in 2019.

But just like his replacement, six-time Super Bowl Champion trainer Bill BelichickThe Tar Heels have already involved in a controversy outside the field that his 24-year-old girlfriend was involved.

During a recently published appearance More than the scoreboard Podcast series with earlier USC And Iowa Player and ex-high school trainer Corbin SmithBrown determined the three main factors that he was looking for when recreating a program. This included the specific attributes, for which he was looking for in an incoming coaching employee how he would like to approach these trainers, to create a relationship with players and then to establish the groundbreaking “common purpose” of the program.

“When we came in (to a new program), we always started … I learned when I did for my five years that I didn't want to hire an employee or coach that I didn't like that I did not respect that I did not admire because you were nearby all day,” said Brown. “The other thing I wanted … I wanted you to be there. Paul Dietzel said: “Never keep someone in the staff who doesn't want to be there.” … you can find someone who wants to be there. … and I wanted to be with happy people. If they are near miserable people, they are unhappy and the children are miserable. So I wanted to have a really good environment with people who loved the place and were happy. “

As soon as his employees were present, Brown focused on communication and implementing a prevailing message that would penetrate the entire program.

“If we go into a program, we wanted to communicate out there for the young coaches. Usually there is no trusting team, it is a team below, they have lost and they are just a different face. … You have to communicate well enough to speak to you so that you can build and respect trust.” And if you have no trust and respect, you have nothing. … they asked them what's going on. You have to ask them how to repair it. And then you have to ask you what you need and want, and if you feel that this is what is best for the program, you have to do it to do credibility with you and build some trust. “

Mack Brown then remembered a special lesson about the union for a common purpose, which he had learned years ago from a General of the United States years ago.

“When we came home, I said:” Ok, we want every child to graduate. This is our common purpose. We want to win every game. This is our common purpose. … then we also want these young people to be better prepared for life after football, “Brown Schloss. “And that doesn't happen so much with the transmission. … But if a recruit or a parent asked, every child, every employee, every trainer would say exactly the same.”

Of course, while Brown's approach to the program structure has certainly helped him win 288 games in his 36-year career as head coach, including the 2005 national championship in the middle of a 16-year-old (1998-2013) run TexasIt didn't have the same influence during his last six -year run in Chapel Hill. Brown went over 16 in North Carolina 113-79-1, but only won nine games in one season (2022) before ending a disappointing 6: 6 in 2024.