North Carolina
North Carolina football job profile: Pluses, minuses and candidates to replace Mack Brown
The North Carolina job is open. Mack Brown was fired on Tuesday, a day after saying he intended to return next season. Turns out, the school wanted to go in a new direction. Brown will still coach the finale against NC State.
Brown is the winningest coach in UNC history and took the Tar Heels to a bowl in each of the six seasons in his second stint, after a decade in Chapel Hill from 1988 to 1997. But that second stint produced a 44-32 overall record. North Carolina lost at least five games in all but one of those seasons, never reaching the highs of Brown’s first run. Many people in the industry had their eyes on this job opening, given Brown’s age and his express consideration of retirement earlier in the season after a 70-50 loss to James Madison, comments he walked back the next week.
This is the first Power 4 opening on the coaching carousel and one that expects to get a ton of interest regardless of how the rest of the cycle plays out.
So how good is the North Carolina job? What names could get in the mix? Based on conversations with industry sources, here is a breakdown of the job and the potential names to watch.
Recent history/tradition: B
The potential has always felt bigger here than the reality. UNC has reached 14 bowl games since 2008, but the Tar Heels have won 10 games in a season just once since the final year of Brown’s first stint. Brown twice left the program better than he found it, but he never won a conference title. The program’s last ACC title came in 1980, a stunningly long time. Is there really potential to unlock for this program located in a great recruiting region with a national brand? Or is simply going to bowl games all UNC football is?
On-field outlook: B+
Junior running back Omarion Hampton is one of the best running backs in the country, with nearly 1,500 rushing yards this year, but he could be NFL-bound. The Heels have struggled to pass the ball, in part because transfer quarterback Max Johnson was lost for the season with a broken leg in Week 1. Johnson said he planned to return in 2025, but how will Brown’s departure impact things?
UNC is fourth in the ACC and 22nd nationally in 247Sports’ Team Talent rankings, which uses high school recruiting rankings. The incoming recruiting class ranks fourth in the ACC and 26th nationally, but that could change with Brown out. There is talent here, but in the portal era, it’s impossible to know how much stays and how much a new coach will change.
Still, the program operates in a recruiting area flush with good players, especially defensive linemen, and UNC has done a really good job developing quarterbacks over the past decade.
Money matters: B+
Brown’s $5 million salary ranked 42nd in the country, but UNC wasn’t competing with other schools for his services and can pay a lot more, and his $2.8 million buyout isn’t much. If this remains a quiet Power 4 coaching carousel, perhaps UNC won’t need to compete with many others in its search for a replacement this time around, either. UNC is third in the ACC in football spending, according to Sportico’s database, but quite a bit behind Florida State and Clemson.
Brown and UNC have been behind much of the country when it comes to NIL and transfers. Heading into a revenue sharing era, UNC needs a coach who will actively navigate that world, something Brown didn’t do as much. Other schools have been coming into the state, spending money and getting the best players. UNC has commitments from just two of the top 10 recruits in the state, per 247Sports.
University stability: B+
UNC just hired a new president this summer after its previous president left for Michigan State in an awkward departure. Athletic director Bubba Cunningham has been in charge since 2011 and is one of the most respected voices in the sport, one who talks openly about the changes to college football and how to approach them. But the alignment from top to bottom hasn’t always been there for football, and it’s needed more than ever with revenue sharing ahead.
Florida State and Clemson’s lawsuits to attempt to get out of the ACC have shaken up the league, but it’s still hard to know when a resolution could come. If the ACC were to become destabilized, UNC could actually be the most attractive potential target for the Big Ten or SEC.
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Coach pool: A-
Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall has been destined for a Power 4 job since he turned Troy into an immediate winner. Sumrall is 32-6 as a head coach at Troy and Tulane, with four of those losses coming to Power 4 opponents and one coming on a Hail Mary from Appalachian State. He replaced Willie Fritz at Tulane and didn’t miss a step despite the departure of key players. But the Green Wave are set to play in the AAC Championship Game and still have a path to the College Football Playoff. Could that timeline impact Sumrall’s availability?
Liberty head coach Jamey Chadwell is 42-9 as a head coach since 2020, winning at least 11 games three times across stints at Coastal Carolina and Liberty, including a Fiesta Bowl appearance last year. The East Tennessee native has won big everywhere he’s been and runs an exciting offense. His lack of Power 4 experience has hurt his candidacy for some SEC jobs, but he has shown at Liberty he can take advantage of resources. He also might have a conference championship to play for.
UNLV head coach Barry Odom is 18-7 in two seasons with the Rebels, the best run for the program in half a century. They hadn’t won more than eight games in a season in 40 years. Odom has made smart staff hires and improved from his 25-25 run as Missouri head coach. He, too, could have a conference championship game to play in.
Georgia defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann has been Kirby Smart’s right-hand man at Georgia and Alabama, winning a lot of national championships. The 34-year-old has been getting in the mix for more head coaching jobs and would bring a winning pedigree.
Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden has done a really good job since arriving in South Bend in 2022, leading a defense that is third nationally in yards per play allowed and finished fifth last year. As a head coach, he took Temple to two seasons of eight-plus wins in the late 2000s after decades of losing. He went 32-25 as Miami head coach while dealing with NCAA penalties from the previous staff, and he spent 2016 to ’21 in the NFL.
Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith is a former UNC player and graduate assistant, and the former Atlanta Falcons head coach has been in the NFL since 2011. He has ties to the program and has some people in his corner. Smith is also the son of billionaire FedEx founder Fred Smith, and remember that FedEx recently committed $25 million in NIL money to Memphis over five years. Perhaps Smith could get some money flowing to the Tar Heels.
Former Florida head coach Dan Mullen has been floating around some openings in recent years while working for ESPN, waiting for a good job. He’s 103-61 as a head coach, took Mississippi State to a No. 1 ranking and reached three New Year’s Six bowls in four years at Florida. He’s a good offensive mind who has won national championships; he just couldn’t recruit at an SEC level before NIL took off. But UNC hired Brown out of the TV booth. Would it do that a second time in a row?
Former Arizona Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks is from Charlotte and worked with the Carolina Panthers for six seasons. He most recently helped out at Charlotte as a volunteer advisor this season. He previously coached in college as Missouri’s defensive coordinator in 2021.
Army head coach Jeff Monken continues to win at a tough job, winning at least nine games in a season five times since 2017. The Black Knights are 9-1 this year and were recently a Top 25 team. Monken has made clear he doesn’t have to be a triple-option coach elsewhere, and Ken Niumatalolo’s success at San Jose State this year should help get that stigma off of service academy coaches.
Overall grade: B+
The upside has always been here, but coaches have rarely tapped into it. That won’t discourage anyone from feeling they’re the person who can finally unlock the potential. This should be one of the best jobs in the ACC, and if the infrastructure can improve to match the right coach, we’re still going to believe this can be a big-time program.
(Photo: Grant Halverson / Getty Images)
It was an eventful offseason in Chapel Hill, but the North Carolina Tar Heels recovered quite nicely, incorporating a formidable coaching staff and roster in just a few months.
Upon his arrival, head coach Michael Malone was faced with an uphill battle to revamp a roster, but he passed that test with flying colors. North Carolina’s style of play will look vastly different from last season, based on the players it acquired this offseason.
With that in mind, here are predictions for the five most efficient scorers on the Tar Heels’ 2026-27 roster. It is important to note that efficient scoring doesn’t necessarily mean each and every player on this list will also lead the team in scoring.
1. Matt Able
The 6-foot-6, 211-pound forward shot 41.6 percent from the field and 35.5 percent from three-point range last season at North Carolina State. That efficiency is a high baseline, as Able will be surrounded by more talent and placed in more advantageous spots in Malone’s system.
At North Carolina, Able could eclipse 40 percent from three-point range and near 50 percent from the field. Able doesn’t require a high volume of shot attempts to produce, which is why he is one of the most exciting players for me to watch next season.
2. Sayon Keita
Again, this doesn’t mean I expect Keita to emerge as one of the leading scorers on the roster. That being said, the former Barcelona center should be operating exclusively near the basket, and the majority of his shot attempts should come from close proximity.
Keita’s offensive production, for the most part, will generate from lobs, put-back dunks, and layups. There will be times Keita will be asked to create his own points in the post, but he will predominantly operate in the paint.
3. Jarin Stevenson
Malone prioritized retaining Stevenson, and the Alabama transfer’s role will expand in 2026. The 6-foot-9, 216-pound forward was an afterthought at the beginning of last season, but in ACC play, Stevenson’s production and efficiency took a major leap.
In the final nine games of the season, with Caleb Wilson out of the lineup, Stevenson averaged 10.4 points and 6.4 rebounds while shooting 50 percent from the field. When Stevenson officially re-signed with North Carolina, Malone stated that he envisions the senior forward fulfilling a role similar to Aaron Gordon when Malone coached in Denver. With a potentially elite backcourt, Stevenson will have ample space to drift into, providing manageable looks at the basket.
4. Terrence Brown
Last season at Utah, the 6-foot-3, 174-pound guard shot 45.3 percent from the field, which is very impressive considering that he was a ball-dominant guard in the Big 12. However, Brown struggled from three-point range, shooting 32.7 percent from beyond the arc.
While I expect that to improve under Malone, Brown still expects to be shooting a handful of low-percentage shots along the perimeter. This is not to say that Brown will struggle; rather, it reflects where his shots will come from on the floor.
5. Neoklis Avdalas
The Virginia Tech transfer possesses a versatile skill set and can play both backcourt positions and on the wing. The 6-foot-9, 216-pound guard is a legitimate point guard option, according to his former coaches, and Malone is obviously aware of that.
Last season, Avdalas shot 38.6 percent from the field and 31.4 percent from three-point range, which was a disappointing output. However, those percentages should improve at North Carolina.
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RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Waste Management is providing up to $18 million in grants to help clean up additional debris from Hurricane Helene in the western region, state officials said Friday.
According to NCDEQ, applications are being accepted for the Debris Recovery & Disposal grant program, which is funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through the American Relief Act of 2025.
The program provides up to $18 million in grants to local governments, councils of government, and nongovernment organizations, according to NCDEQ.
State officials said applications are being accepted through Sept. 14. The maximum award is $3 million. The grants may be used for up to three years.
Counties, municipalities, councils of government, and nongovernmental organizations in FEMA-declared disaster areas due to Helene are eligible for the grants, according to NCDEQ.
According to NCDEQ, eligible projects include collecting and disposing of non-hazardous debris from private or public properties, clearing and managing debris at streambanks, floodplains, farmland, and local park lands, and removing debris to improve solid waste and recycling infrastructure.
Applications may be emailed to Chris Hollinger with the Division of Waste Management at chris.hollinger@deq.nc.gov.
State officials advise applicants to email or call Hollinger at 919-707-8284 or contact Jason Watkins at jason.watkins@deq.nc.gov or 336-776-9674 to discuss the eligibility of their project before applying.
More information about applying can be found on the NCDEQ website.
North Carolina
‘Infuriating, heartbreaking’: Raccoon recovering after getting caught in leg trap at Mecklenburg County park
The video above is a live stream of WBTV and affiliated programming, and may not be directly related to the article below.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) – A raccoon is fighting for its life after it got caught in a leg trap at a Mecklenburg County park this week.
North Carolina Wildlife Rehab said a group of children found the raccoon stuck in a leg trap at a Mecklenburg County park on Thursday, June 18, but did not specify which park.
“This is absurd, infuriating, and heartbreaking,” a spokesperson said. “Just think about how many animals may have already been harmed—and how many babies may have been orphaned because of this.”
Raccoon had heat stroke, front legs trapped
Wildlife Rehab said it’s unclear how long the raccoon was trapped, but both of his front legs were caught.
Thankfully, his legs were not broken; however, he suffered heat stroke and had a body temperature of 105.4 degrees.
“Please keep this sweet boy in your thoughts and prayers as he fights to recover,” a spokesperson said.
Multiple traps found on property
The children reportedly found the trap attached to a fence on an adjoining property, and investigators said officers found several more during their search.
“Thankfully, the kids did not attempt to free the raccoon themselves, though that easily could have happened,” a spokesperson said. “Instead, they immediately got their parents, who then contacted Animal Control.”
Officials said the raccoon was the second animal caught in a leg trap, and both incidents occurred at parks in Mecklenburg County.
Wildlife Rehab said the traps are illegal and cited animal cruelty. In North Carolina, however, foothold traps aren’t entirely illegal, but they’re strictly regulated by state law. They can be used in Mecklenburg County if they comply with state guidelines for trap size, jaw type, and proper tagging.
–> Also read: Trio stole donated blankets, beds from Cabarrus County animal shelter, director says
As of this writing, no arrests have been made, and no charges have been filed.
Copyright 2026 WBTV. All rights reserved.
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