Tar Heel Sports Network announces broadcast team for 2024 Carolina football season

Chapel Hill, NC (August 28, 2024) – Learfield’s Tar Heel Sports Properties announced today that former Tar Heels Joe Jauch and Bryn Renner will serve as co-commentators for University of North Carolina (UNC) football games on the Tar Heel Sports Network this fall. Jauch and Renner will join the voice of the Tar Heels, Jones Angell, in the radio booth after Brian Simmons transitions to a full-time position with the Carolina football team, where he serves as a special advisor to head coach Mack Brown.

Additionally, Tar Heel football legend Na’ Brown will join Dave Nathan as co-host on the Tar Heel Sports Network’s pregame and postgame shows. Brown takes the place of Tar Heel legend Deems May, who voluntarily stepped down after more than 20 seasons with the network.

Joe Jauch, a member of Mack Brown’s first recruiting class in Carolina in 1988, has experience with the Tar Heel Sports Network, where he filled in as an analyst for the past two seasons. After his time in Carolina, Jauch played five years in the Canadian Football League for the Hamilton Tiger Cats and has been a commentator for ESPN since 2018.

“I’m grateful that Mack Brown gave me the opportunity to be a student-athlete at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill,” said Jauch. “After graduating with a degree in radio and television and now sitting next to Jones Angell, it’s truly a dream come true. Go Heels!”

Bryn Renner, a three-year starting quarterback for UNC, set the school record for most 300-yard passing games in a career and twice broke the record for most passing touchdowns in program history. His career completion percentage of 66.5% remains the highest in Carolina history. After his record-setting college career, Renner spent time in the NFL, playing for the Denver Broncos, Baltimore Ravens, Tennessee Titans, San Diego Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers.

“I am incredibly grateful to the Tar Heel Sports Network for giving me the opportunity to join Jones Angell and the team in the locker room this fall,” Renner noted. “I look forward to learning from everyone and giving the fans my best, just like I did every Saturday when I was on the field at center for the Tar Heels!”

Na’ Brown, who played for the Tar Heels from 1995 to 1999 and remains in the top 10 all-time receptions, was selected in the 4th round of the 1999 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, where he played until 2004. Brown is a North Carolina native and was born in Reidsville, NC.

“I’m finally back home where it all began,” Brown said. “I’m thrilled to join the Tar Heel Sports radio team and bring UNC football to my UNC family. I can’t wait to turn on the mic.”

“I’m thrilled to be working with this incredible analyst base this upcoming season,” said Jones Angell, voice of the Tar Heels. “Because we have multiple players from different eras who all had great success at Carolina and in professional football, Tar Heels fans will be able to hear expert opinion and analysis before, during and after the game on the Tar Heels Sports Network. Our goal is to provide an accurate, entertaining and informative listening experience on game day and Joe, Bryn, Na’ and Jeff will help us do that.”

This fall, fans will continue to hear from Tar Heel legend Jeff Saturday, who returns as a regular contributor with a weekly interview segment with Jones Angell, and Lee Pace once again serves as the station’s sideline reporter.

“We are excited and proud to welcome these former Tar Heels to the Carolina football radio team,” said Chuck Schroeder, vice president and general manager of Tar Heel Sports Properties. “Each of these men will bring their unique perspective and our listeners will hear their deep understanding of the game and Carolina Athletics. They all love this place and we look forward to bringing their expertise and passion for Carolina football to our listeners this fall.”

Tar Heel Sports Properties, the local Learfield-based team, is the exclusive owner of the multimedia rights for Carolina Athletics and oversees all sponsorship deals on behalf of the Tar Heels.

About Learfield
Learfield is the media and technology company that supports college sports. Through its digital and physical platforms, Learfield owns and leverages an extensive data set and relationships in the industry to drive revenue, growth, brand awareness and fan engagement for brands, sports and entertainment properties. With connections to over 1,200 higher education institutions and over 12,000 local and national brand partners, Learfield’s presence in college sports and live events lends influence and maximizes audience reach. With solutions for a 365-day, 24/7 fan experience, Learfield enables schools and brands to connect with fans through licensed merchandise, game tickets, donor identification for sports programs, exclusive custom content, innovative marketing initiatives, NIL solutions and advanced digital platforms. Since 2008, the company has served as title sponsor for the prestigious Learfield Directors’ Cup and supports athletic departments across all divisions.