Chip Lindsey excited to work under Mack Brown at North Carolina

As Chip Lindsey takes the next step in his coaching career at North Carolina, he is eager to learn from Mack Brown. The Tar Heels hired Lindsey as their offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach this offseason to replace Phil Longo.

Lindsey brings 26 years of coaching experience to Chapel Hill, including three years as the head coach at Troy (2019-21) and, most recently, as the offensive coordinator at UCF. As he prepares to lead the UNC offense next season, he expressed what the opportunity to work under Brown means.

“Extremely excited,” he said. “The opportunity to work for a Hall of Fame head coach, that was extremely attractive. When we were going through the process, I’ve obviously admired him from afar. A Hall of Fame head coach who’s won a national championship. That was big. And I’ve worked for some really good coaches.

Brown has 33 years of coaching experience, including 14 years at UNC across two stints. He was also the coach at Texas from 1998-2013, leading the Longhorns to a national championship victory in 2005. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2018.

During his lone season as offensive coordinator at UCF, Lindsey guided an offense that ranked 26th nationally in scoring (34.4 ppg), 11th in total offense (480.6 ypg), and eighth in rushing offense (236.1 ypg). The Knights’ rushed for 200 or more yards in nine games in 2022 and their 33 rushing touchdowns led the AAC and tied for 10th nationally.

Chip Lindsey is set to take over a North Carolina offense that ranked second in the ACC last season (462.8 ypg) and third in scoring (34.4 ppg). The Tar Heels return quarterback Drake Maye, who led the conference with 4,321 yards passing and 38 touchdowns in 2022.

“Coming to Chapel Hill, I’ve just always admired this place,” Lindsey said. “It’s just got kind of an air about it. We’ve got really smart kids that I think will compete at a high level and they’ve proven that. As coach says, we’re trying to get from good to great. That’s our motto. That’s what we’re trying to do. We’re working toward that and these kids will do whatever you ask.”

UNC kicked off spring practice Sunday and will host its annual spring game on April 15.