Head coach Mack Brown will not return to North Carolina after the end of the season following six years with the program, according to a press release from UNC Athletic Communications.
On Monday, Director of Athletics Bubba Cunningham informed Brown that he would not continue as head coach next year. Brown had three years remaining in his contract.
“Mack Brown has won more games than any football coach in UNC history, and we deeply appreciate all that he has done for Carolina Football and our University,’’ Cunningham said.
Brown will coach during UNC’s final regular season game on Saturday against N.C. State, but a decision has not been made regarding whether Brown will coach in UNC's bowl game.
“While this was not the perfect time and way in which I imagined going out, no time will ever be the perfect time,” Brown said in a statement.
Although Brown has experienced success — coaching his team to six-straight bowl games — this last season has been tumultuous for the 73-year-old coach. After winning three straight games, the Tar Heels lost the next four, including a 70-50 loss to JMU.
Following three straight wins, things seemed to be on the upswing for North Carolina. But UNC suffered a 41-21 loss to Boston College on Saturday. The Tar Heels recorded their worst offensive performance since 2017, tallying only 212 yards compared to the Eagles’ 420.
As recently as Nov. 20, he told SiriusXM he was still committed to the job. During a press conference on Monday, Brown emphasized his intent to return.
Following a stint at UNC from 1988-97 that led North Carolina to four top-20 finishes, Brown returned at the end of the 2018 season to revive the program after former head coach Larry Fedora finished 3-9 and 2-9 during his last two years.
