'It's my fault': Mack Brown takes responsibility for North Carolina's loss to Virginia
Posted October 23, 2023 11:45 a.m. EDT
Updated October 23, 2023 4:08 p.m. EDT
Chapel Hill, N.C. — North Carolina head coach Mack Brown took responsibility Monday for his team’s first loss of the season against Virginia.
The Tar Heels lost Saturday to the Cavaliers, 31-27. Several sportsbooks had North Carolina as a 23.5-point favorite against Virginia.
“The truth is it all falls on me,” Brown said. “It’s my fault.
“I hired every member of the coaching staff member here. I’ve recruited every player that’s here. I make the decision for everything that we do.”
North Carolina (6-1, 3-1 ACC) fell to No. 17 in the AP Top 25. The Tar Heels were ranked No. 10 heading into Saturday’s game.
Virginia (2-5, 1-2 ACC) ran for a season-high 228 yards against North Carolina. The Cavaliers’ offense dominated time of possession, holding the ball for more than 37 minutes.
“I let our team down,” Brown said. I let our coaches down. I let our staff down. I let our administration down and I let our fans down.”
North Carolina squandered a 24-14 lead in the third quarter.
“Why didn’t [the] defense stop them when it’s 24-14 and put us in a position right there to go up 17 [points]?” Brown said. “Why not? That’s what we’re supposed to do. That’s what you get paid for.
“Then, offensively, why don't we kill some clock and run the ball some if we’re not throwing it consistently?”
Sophomore running back Omarion Hampton finished Saturday’s game with 19 carries for 112 yards. However, Hampton had only five carries in the second half.
Quarterback Drake Maye completed 24 of 48 passes for 347 yards and two touchdowns. Maye’s interception to Virginia linebacker James Jackson clinched the game for the Cavaliers with 26 seconds left.
North Carolina will look to regroup Saturday against Georgia Tech, a team that’s beaten the Tar Heels the past two seasons.
On Monday, Brown mentioned the speed of Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King and the team’s wide receivers.
“They’ve got the best speed of anybody at wide receiver that we’ve seen,” Brown said. “They can fly.”
Other notes
Kickoff between North Carolina and Georgia Tech is set for 8 p.m. Eastern Time Saturday at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta. The game airs on the ACC Network.
North Carolina junior defensive lineman Jacolbe Cowan is done for the season with an upper-body injury, an athletics department spokesperson announced Monday.
