UNC Football: October 7 press conference recap

The Heels lost their third straight game, falling to Pittsburgh 34-24. Unlike the Heels' previous two losses, this one felt relatively normal. There were no 70-point outbursts from the opposing team or lost leads; The Panthers were simply the better team and beat the Heels. Let's take a look at what Mack Brown had to say in his postgame press conference:

Opening speech: Mack opened his press conference asking for thoughts and prayers for former UNC wide receiver/current student coach Tylee Craft, who is battling cancer. Mack was visibly emotional as he spoke about Craft, noting that Craft had been hospitalized as he continues to battle lung cancer. We here at the Tar Heel Blog send all of our thoughts, prayers and goodwill to Craft as he continues his fight.

About the Pitt game: “The quarterback is really good.” Mack commented on Holstein's play, noting that he threw the ball well and lamenting the many explosive plays the Heels gave him. Another issue he identified was the Heels' lack of success on 3rd and 4th downs. He mentioned that they were 5 of 15 on third down and 2 of 6 on 4th down. He particularly regretted that the Heels didn't convert on 4th-and-1 early in the 4th quarter.

Overall, Mack is pleased with the offense and notes that they have taken a step forward since the game against Minnesota.

When asked about some of the 4th down decisions, Mack stated that he didn't think they could stop Pittsburgh and made the decision before the game not to settle for field goals and go for touchdowns. He explained that it was not a lack of trust in the defense, but rather a respect for Holstein's game that led to this. He also pointed out that according to the analysis, the 4th down attempts were targeted. He concluded by saying that if they made it to 4th downs, no one would question the decision to pick them.

Brown mentioned that he was happy to have Kaimon Rucker back on the field. He noted that he wanted to get him back in action and limited him mostly to snaps from third down. He expects Rucker to play more next week.

Regarding the defensive mistakes: Mack said he would watch the film, talk to coach Collins and find out why certain defensive players didn't make the right decision. As Pittsburgh won 8-10 in the third, Brown again praised the Panthers' QB, saying he was as good a QB as he had ever seen this year.

About Nate McCullum's game: Brown pointed out that the offense is still in crisis after multiple QB changes and injuries and that McCullum's play is related to that. He also reiterated that the offense has made progress and looks much better than it did at the start of the year.

According to Mack, he once went up to the officers and told them they had missed a few calls that were clearly visible on the iPads on the sidelines. He said the official told the referee that he might have missed a call and that he should keep a closer eye on the matter.

The press conference then once again focused on the topic of analytics and 4th-down decisions. Mack again said that it was decided at the beginning of the week that they would go all out in many 4th down situations, especially against this opponent. He said he plans to review all 4th relegation decisions and see if any changes are needed. He also explained that he viewed the analyzes as suggestions, but every situation is different.

On the team's performance in this game: “If you don’t play hard, I have a problem. I can't handle that.” Mack ended the press conference by praising his team for their effort and saying they played hard. Mack explained he can't handle people who don't try. He also said the Heels will win enough games as long as everyone plays hard and tries.

Overall, Mack seemed pleased with the team's performance, calling the loss a close one against a really good team. He brought up Pitt QB Eli Holstein several times, praising him and acknowledging Pitt's performance. Mack's love for his players was clear as he discussed Craft's hospitalization. Unfortunately, there didn't seem to be many answers as to how the Heels will end their three-game losing streak against Georgia Tech.