UNC finds a replacement for tight ends coach Tim Brewster, and he was last in the NFL
Six days after losing tight ends coach Tim Brewster to Florida for the same position, Mack Brown has found his replacement.
North Carolina announced on Wednesday that it has hired John Lilly, who last coached tight ends for the Cleveland Browns in 2019.
Lilly, who has 27 years of coaching experience in the NFL and college football, was at the University of Tennessee in 2018 and with the Los Angeles Rams in 2017.
Before that, he was the tight ends coach at Georgia from 2008-2015. There, Lilly was on the same staff as Stacy Searels, who currently coaches UNC’s offensive line.
During his eight seasons at Georgia, the Bulldogs won two SEC East titles and won five bowl games. He spent 13 seasons at Florida State in different roles, including the tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator.
“We’re thrilled to add a coach with the quality, experience and recruiting acumen that John Lilly possesses,” Brown said in a statement. “John has recruited and coached some great players during his career and has seen a lot of success throughout his 27 years.
“In addition to his college experience, he was able to hone his skills in the NFL with the Los Angeles Rams and the Browns, and we know that will really pay off for our tight ends and the offense as a whole. John is very familiar with the state of North Carolina, which will allow him to hit the ground running in recruiting.”
Lilly, who played college football at Guilford College in Greensboro, began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Northwest Guilford High School from 1991 to 1994.
“I can’t think of a better program to walk into right now than the one in Chapel Hill,” Lilly said in a press release. “There’s so much energy and enthusiasm surrounding this place and this program, and if everyone continues to work hard together the way they have, there are certainly big things ahead.”
