In our society, we often have difficulty accepting the concept of aging. People are living and working longer, often resisting the idea that they should step aside and let younger generations take over.

In some respects, this is inspiring. We all aspire to be active and engaged well into our 70s and 80s. However, clinging to power can appear self-serving and unrealistic when results don’t meet expectations.

Mack Brown, the North Carolina coach, is now 73 years old. He has had a remarkable career in college football, beginning in 1983 when he became head coach at Appalachian State at just 32. He went on to coach at Tulane, North Carolina, and Texas, where he achieved a national championship and enjoyed a decade of remarkable success.

After his time at Texas came to an end, Brown transitioned to a commentator role, but he was eager to return to coaching. In 2019, North Carolina and athletic director Bubba Cunningham offered him that chance, and he committed to pursuing a national title at a place that holds deep meaning for him.

This initial storyline seemed appealing, but now it feels far-fetched.

It appears unlikely that Brown will secure another national title. The question now is whether he can even finish out this season.

Following North Carolina’s staggering 70-50 defeat to James Madison on Saturday, reports indicated that Brown’s emotional address in the locker room hinted at a possible resignation. However, after some reflection, he informed ESPN that he would return to work on Sunday.

This situation isn’t tenable.

Here are the key points: In his second tenure at North Carolina, Brown holds a record of 41-28. His team has finished the season ranked just once in four years, landing at No. 17 in 2020. This is especially disappointing, given that he’s had top-tier quarterbacks like Sam Howell and Drake Maye during this time. The heavy loss to James Madison highlights ongoing issues Brown has faced with his defensive coordinators, including Jay Bateman, Gene Chizik, and now Geoff Collins, the former Georgia Tech head coach.

Has Brown’s tenure been a total failure? Not entirely, as North Carolina has long struggled with expectations in college football. However, it wouldn’t be truthful to label his second stint as a success.

At a stage in life when many of his peers have stepped away, should Brown continue to coach? If North Carolina aims to build a football program capable of competing for ACC and national championships, the answer is likely no.

While it may feel uncomfortable to discuss openly, even a distinguished Hall of Famer like Brown might reach a point where running a college football program striving for top-tier success no longer makes sense.

The painful loss to James Madison only intensifies this conversation. It’s no coincidence that North Carolina now leads the Misery Index, which ranks fan bases by their levels of dissatisfaction.

Four additional teams in troubled waters

TCU: Since reaching the College Football Playoff national championship game—note that I say “reaching” rather than “playing,” as the Horned Frogs didn’t really compete against Georgia—TCU has lost nine of its last 16 matches. This troubling trend was evident Saturday when Sonny Dykes lost his temper multiple times and was ejected early in a 66-42 defeat against SMU.

When did you last witness a college football coach being ejected for two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties? Moreover, when was a program that was on the brink of greatness regressed to a long-term state of mediocrity following such success? Let’s be honest: TCU’s 2022 season might have been one of the biggest flukes in college football history. Now, TCU isn’t even the top program in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, let alone the state of Texas, the Central time zone, the Big 12, or even the nation.

Virginia Tech: By mid-October last season, Virginia Tech had a dismal 2-4 record and seemed headed nowhere. Coach Brent Pry appeared to be on a hot seat, and the long-serving athletic director, Whit Babcock, faced backlash for back-to-back disappointing coaching hires.

However, Virginia Tech rebounded by winning five of their last seven games, finishing with a 7-6 record. Suddenly, Hokie Nation was uplifted, with high hopes for the returning starters. Pry was hailed as a hero, and the Hokies seemed poised for a strong season.

That was before any games took place, and now, a month into the current season, it’s clear the Hokies are not back. Instead, they have returned to irrelevance. Following their 26-23 loss to Rutgers at home, they now sit at 2-2, having also lost to Vanderbilt. It’s time to reassess last year’s winning record. Many of the last season’s victories were over teams that were not formidable opponents. Perhaps this year’s schedule will be weak too, but nobody will be fooled for long. The Hokies are grappling with serious issues.

Auburn: Hugh Freeze is a sought-after coach because he can produce points on the scoreboard. Many overlook his past NCAA infractions at Ole Miss, the inappropriate phone calls that led to his dismissal, and the overall perception of insincerity that has followed him for the last decade, akin to college football’s version of Jimmy Swaggart.

The idea of accepting some controversy for the sake of winning isn’t completely unreasonable. If you view college football as a flawed environment, Freeze might be worth the associated bad press—provided he delivers victories.

However, after two years at Auburn, the expected rewards from Freeze’s hire aren’t materializing. The team is failing to secure wins, scoring points, or providing an exciting game-day experience—unless constant punting and a high turnover rate (14 in just four games) excite you.

Auburn’s recent 24-14 defeat against Arkansas, which puts their record at 2-2, should definitely raise concerns about Freeze’s job security. If you consider yourself an offensive mastermind, scoring a mere 14 points against major conference teams like California and Arkansas is not acceptable.

Freeze’s second tenure isn’t producing results in the SEC. If you argue that the quarterback situation—where neither Payton Thorne nor Hank Brown has performed well—is the issue, you also have to hold Freeze accountable. He’s had two years to strengthen that position, yet no sign of improvement has been observed.

Oklahoma: Jackson Arnold was heralded as one of the top quarterback recruits in the nation, and Brent Venables made a significant achievement by securing the commitment of the Denton, Texas native in January 2022. However, high recruitment rankings do not always guarantee success in college football, and Arnold is currently experiencing serious growing pains at Oklahoma.

While much of the post-game discussion surrounding Tennessee’s 25-15 victory in Norman will focus on Vols coach Josh Heupel—who was an Oklahoma quarterback national champion in 2000 and served as Bob Stoops’ offensive coordinator for four years before his dismissal—the real narrative involves Arnold.

In the game, he completed only 7 of 16 passes for 54 yards, threw an interception, and fumbled while the Sooners were close to the end zone in the first half. He was replaced by Michael Hawkins, who, though not spectacular, appeared more stable and confident in the second half. Had Oklahoma’s quarterback play been competent for the entire game, they might have upset Tennessee. Instead, the Sooners seem to be lagging behind the necessary level for SEC competitiveness. The quarterback situation will become a critical issue for Oklahoma as they assess what they need to improve their performance moving forward.

Barely Miserable

Nebraska: Stop us if you know this scenario. The Huskers found yet another way to lose a game they should have decisively won. This time, it’s not as heartbreaking, as Nebraska appears to be on the right path under Matt Rhule, and freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola is extremely talented and should guide them into playoff contention eventually. Nevertheless, Nebraska missed a crucial 39-yard field goal with three minutes left and subsequently lost 31-24 in overtime to Illinois. This unfortunate outcome now leaves the Huskers with a record of 17-43 in one-score games since 2015.

Vanderbilt: No team in the nation is as consistently poor in high-pressure situations as the Commodores. Year after year, regardless of the coach or recruiting class, their tendency to squander leads remains as reliable as the tide. The Commodores had a prime opportunity to secure a significant win against Missouri on Saturday but fell short when kicker Brock Taylor missed a 50-yard field goal that could have taken the lead with just over three minutes left and a 31-yarder that would have forced a third overtime, resulting in a 30-27 defeat. It’s noteworthy that Taylor is not an incompetent kicker, having successfully kicked a 57-yarder earlier in the game; he just crumbled under pressure. This pattern continues for Vanderbilt, where coach Clark Lea now has a dismal 2-23 record in the SEC.

Northern Illinois: The Huskies enjoyed two weeks of celebrating their stunning victory over Notre Dame on September 7, capitalizing on interview opportunities and growing social media recognition. However, their joy was short-lived as they succumbed to a 23-20 defeat against Buffalo in front of their home crowd, going into double overtime. Interestingly, Northern Illinois’ defense allows just 184 yards but still lost as Upton Bellenfant—one of the most memorable names in college football—sank a 37-yard field goal in overtime for the Bulls.

Mississippi State: The Bulldogs are on their way to one of their worst seasons in nearly twenty years. Back in 2006, Mississippi State finished with a 3-9 record under Sylvester Croom, who was then fired two years later. This led to a period of growth under Dan Mullen, who raised the bar at one of the SEC’s toughest programs. It’s clear that Jeff Lebby will face challenges in meeting these expectations. Currently, Mississippi State sits at 1-3 in Lebby’s first season after a hefty 45-28 loss to Florida at home, just a week following a 24-point defeat to Toledo. To Lebby’s credit, most of the team transferred after last season when Zach Arnett was dismissed. However, it is evident that a painful and lengthy rebuilding process is ahead.