College football season is back in action in North Carolina bay-beeeee! The roar of the stadium crowds, the electrifying plays, the drunken face-painted fans sloppily singing along to Copperhead Road at the tailgate party. I mean what’s not to love? And speaking of proper gameday tunes, have you ever wondered what the coaches blast through their headphones before a game? Well wonder no more!
In anticipation of the new football season, the sports betting analysis company Action Network asked coaches across different conferences who their favorite artists were. If you don’t feel like playing the guessing game, the answers have been conveniently compiled by Whiskey Riff as well. It should come as no surprise that country music absolutely dominated the list. George Strait was the most popular country artist among coaches, totaling up an impressive eight picks. Other notable coach-favored country artists include the Chief Eric Church, Luke Combs, Kane Brown, Chris Stapleton, Kenny Chesney, Zach Bryan, just to name a few. But where do the North Carolina college coaches stand musically?
Honestly, the musical tastes of Carolina coaches are surprisingly diverse. While there’s definitely a heavy country presence on the playlist, each coach’s favorite artists span across multiple genres and eras. I’m a UNC fan born and raised, so I bleed Carolina blue across all college sports. And without giving too much away, I’ll just say I’m quite pleased with Tarheels coach Mack Brown’s pick. But credit where it’s due, Blue Devils coach Mike Elko’s favorite artist is a solid choice as well! And that’s the only time you’ll ever hear me compliment Duke about anything. Great, now I have to make sure my parents never find this article.
So who is your favorite North Carolina college football coach listening to on loop before their players take the field? Let’s find out!
