After Stepping Away From UNC, Mack Brown Reveals What Really Builds a Winning Culture

Few coaches, such as Hall of Fame coach Mack Brown, understand the true essence of a winning culture. With decades of experience building powerhouse programs, he has seen how leadership, financial fairness, and strong player relationships shape success.

Following his dismissal from his second stint at North Carolina in late November, Brown is six months into his second retirement. In his place, Bill Belichick has now taken over responsibility for Carolina. Before the six-time Super Bowl-winning coach assumed total control, the 73-year-old Brown shared his blueprint for what makes a college football program thrive.

Mack Brown Shares Blueprint For Building Winning Programs

During a recent appearance on the “More Than The Scoreboard” podcast with Corbin Smith, Brown shared his thoughts on what makes a successful football program. Brown broke down three key factors to focus on when rebuilding a program. He started by addressing the growing financial divide in college football, highlighting that money plays a bigger role than ever.

“Salary cap and having some parody because what we’re doing is we’re getting a division of power and the teams with the most money are the ones that are going to win the most games,” the Hall of Fame coach explained. He pointed out that the last six teams in the playoffs had significant financial backing, proving that money can buy players right now.

But it’s not just about budgets. Brown said picking the right staff is also important. He made it clear that he hired coaches he respected and enjoyed working with. “I didn’t want to hire any staff member or coach that I didn’t like, that I didn’t respect, that I didn’t admire, because you’re around them all day.” According to Brown, happy and passionate coaches help create a winning culture.

Once the staff is in place, communication comes next. For the 73-year-old, trust between players and coaches is everything you need to build a strong culture. “You’ve got to communicate well enough to get them to talk to you so you can build trust and respect,” he said. He believes that without trust, a team cannot succeed.

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The Hall of Famer also touched on the chaos surrounding NIL and the transfer portal, warning that unregulated movement could lead to academic struggles and mental health issues for players. He stressed the need for better regulations to ensure stability in college football.

Brown also discussed the challenges of NIL and the transfer portal, warning that unregulated movement could lead to academic struggles and mental health issues for players. He called for better regulations to ensure stability and protect players in college football.