Which Schools Could Reach Out To Mack Brown?

A story of lore involving myself and Mack Brown goes a little something like this – and yes, it’s real because my parents were there to witness it.

I was a beat writer in Jacksonville covering high school sports and helping out with the college football preview. I was asked to write about North Carolina (this was 1996) and to get a quote or two from the SID on campus about the upcoming season.

As a young reporter, I took it a step further, and asked to speak to Mack Brown personally, that I was on a deadline and left my home number for him to reach me.

About 7:30 that night the phone rang and my brother picked it up. The man on the other end identified himself as Mack Brown. My brother laughed and said, “Sure you are.” He hung up on Coach Brown, who immediately called me back and I spent the next five minutes apologizing.

A lot has gone on since then. Brown has won a national title at Texas and I have continued on my quest to write football. Now, Brown is a studio analyst and well, I am still writing.

Brown is still one of the better college football minds out there and while he left his post at Texas, the 63-year old could still be a topic of conversation, should he want to dip his toe in the pigskin deep end next season. The question is which program could use his services?

Basically any program that is in need of a change, a rebirth and a possible invitation to a bowl game.  For now, that is purely speculation – but if there was a team or two or three to come along, these might be the ones who take a shot at getting Brown out of the television booth.

KANSAS

The Jayhawks program had enough of Charlie Weis and the pitiful job he did with the program. Kansas is not a world beater. Brown knows a thing or two about coaching in the Big 12. Brown could put the program back on the map.

ARIZONA

This pick is predicated on the idea that I think Rich Rodriguez will not be in Arizona in 2015. The Pac 12 is the second best conference in college football. The league has some of the best coaches in the country. Brown just adds to the pedigree.

FLORIDA

Every name in the book has been thrown at the Gator Nation. Will Muschamp has not been fired yet! Brown is a solid choice to get the once-proud Gators off the carpet. If anything, the hiring of Brown would give the Florida program a comfort it has not felt since Steve Spurrier was coach.

HAWAII

There was a time when June Jones and the Hawaii program could light up a scoreboard. Then Jones left to come back to the confines of Houston. The program hired Norm Chow, the supposed offensive guru from USC. That has been a disaster. Brown would be a huge improvement.