As reported by hcpress.com that it would come to fruition, the University of North Carolina officially announced Tuesday that it had hired Mack Brown, who led the Tar Heels to a strong 1990s run before winning a national championship at Texas, as its head football coach. Brown, who maintains a residence in the North Carolina High Country community of Linville, reached a five-year deal that will pay him $3.5 million annually. Brown replaces Larry Fedora, who was fired Sunday after seven seasons.
In his return to the program he coached from 1988-97, the 67-year old Brown read off a long to-do list at the press conference announcing his hiring that included meeting with his new players and hiring assistant coaches and a support staff.