In 1980, after going 3–8 the year prior, Iowa State improved their record to 6–5 in large part due to running back Dwayne Crutchfield (1,312 yards with 11 TDs) and the rest of Brown's offense.

The LSU Tigers improved their record to 8–3–1 from 3–7–1 the year prior in large part due to Brown's coaching of quarterback Alan Risher, who threw for 1,834 yards with 17 TD and 8 INT.

Brown moved back to a role as offensive coordinator for the Oklahoma Sooners during the 1984 season under head coach Barry Switzer.

Brown's second head coaching position came with Tulane in 1985, where he also became the school's athletic director in the wake of a point shaving scandal which led to the shutdown of the men's basketball program.

Brown's first two teams finished with identical 1–10 records, the worst two seasons that the Tar Heels have suffered on the field in modern times.

Included in the 1990 total was a tie of Georgia Tech that proved to be the Yellow Jackets' only non-win that season en route to a share of the national championship.

Largely due to Florida State joining the league in 1992, Brown was unable to win an ACC title—something the Tar Heels haven't done since 1980.

In his early years at UT, Brown was referred to as "Coach February," due to his success in bringing in high talent recruits.

However, Oklahoma stood undefeated, which meant the Sooners would represent the Big 12 South in the championship game against a much lower ranked team from the North Division.

"I thought it was a little classless how Coach Brown was begging for votes," Cal quarterback Aaron Rodgers told reporters in Berkeley.

In an up and down game, Texas eventually defeated USC 41–38, highlighted by a 4th and 5 touchdown run and 2 point conversion by Vince Young in the final minute, giving the Longhorns their first national championship in 34 years.

The Horns quickly rebounded to win seven straight games (including a second straight win over nemesis Oklahoma in the Red River Shootout) to climb into the Big 12 South driver's seat and entertain thoughts of a rematch with Ohio State in the national championship, but in the season's 10th game McCoy was injured and Texas was shocked on the road at Kansas State.

[32][33][34][35][36] In their next game Texas was beaten for a second year in a row by the Kansas State Wildcats 41–21 through play with no turnovers and 21  combined points from defense and special teams.

It was also the 200th career win for Mack Brown,[45] and it set a new attendance record for UT, the State of Texas, the Big 12 Conference, and the southwest region.

QB Colt McCoy was injured early in the game and did not return, leaving the offense in the hands of inexperienced true freshman Garrett Gilbert.

Chazz Surratt, one of the team's quarterbacks for the previous two seasons under Larry Fedora, switched to the defensive side of the ball and became an all-ACC linebacker.

With both Clemson and Notre Dame selected for the College Football Playoff, the Tar Heels received a berth in the Orange Bowl as the highest-ranked remaining ACC team.

[49] Entering the 2021 season, Brown's Tar Heels were ranked 9th in the preseason AP Poll and were picked by the media to win the ACC Coastal Division.

Despite falling short of expectations, Brown was able to guide the Tar Heels to bowl eligibility for the third straight season, thanks in part to a dramatic comeback win over a top ten Wake Forest team in Kenan Stadium.

[52] Hired to replace him was Gene Chizik, who had previously been on Brown's staff at Texas before winning a National Championship at Auburn in 2010 as a head coach.

Drake Maye would emerge in training camp as the man for the job, being named the starter officially the week before the Tar Heels season-opener.

Brown led the 2022 Tar Heels to a 9–1 record after ten games, clinching the final ACC Coastal Division Championship by beating Wake Forest.

[56] With a defense that had seemingly improved over their 2022 performance, Maye's continued excellence, and the emergence of running back Omarion Hampton as a true lead tailback in Lindsey's revamped offense, the 2023 Tar Heels finished the first half of the season 6–0, their best start since Brown's final year before leaving for Texas in 1997.

[57] Tez Walker's return after his NCAA eligibility crisis and tight end Bryson Nesbit's best season in Chapel Hill also boosted the Tar Heel offense, with both players projected to be NFL draft picks.

Backup quarterback Conner Harrell started the game against the Mountaineers after Maye opted out to prepare for the 2024 NFL Draft, in which he was picked third overall by the New England Patriots.

Johnson initially won the position, and started the opener against Minnesota, but broke his leg early in the second half and was ruled out for the remainder of the season.

Prior to the team's final game against NC State, Brown publicly expressed plans to return for 2025 at his weekly press conference, seemingly putting an end to the speculation.

[66] Upon returning to Chapel Hill, Brown started a tradition of lighting the Morehead-Patterson Bell Tower Carolina blue after every win.

The Browns have endorsed a new Texas license plate, which is designed to raise public awareness for child abuse and neglect, and the need for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) volunteers.

Later in the pilot, the real Mack Brown plays the role of a local football booster quizzing high school coach Eric Taylor on his pre-game preparation.