Mack Brown plans to return to North Carolina next season

North Carolina coach Mack Brown said Monday that he intends to return to the Tar Heels next season, although he has not yet had discussions about his future with athletic director Bubba Cunningham.

Brown, 73, was asked about his future during his weekly press conference and said: “You never talk to your athletic director until the year is over. Everyone does that all the time. I am fully focused on NC State. “What a horrible thing to talk about” about me when we just played a bad game and had to beat State.

When asked directly if he had any intention of returning, Brown replied, “Yes.”

North Carolina enters its rivalry game against the Wolf Pack at 6-5 after an uncompetitive 41-21 loss to Boston College. The season has been a roller coaster ride, to say the least. After a 70-50 loss to James Madison on September 21, Brown told his Tar Heels that he would walk away if the team felt he could no longer do the job. From that point on, his job status was the subject of speculation – particularly a four-game deficit that left North Carolina at 3-4 heading into an open schedule.

The Tar Heels then had to deal with the loss of receiver Tylee Craft, who died two and a half years after being diagnosed with cancer. In a recent interview with ESPN, Brown said his perspective changed after losing Craft.

“I realized then that the team needed me more than ever. So I feel, probably more than ever in my career, in my life, that these kids and these coaches need me to be strong and to try. Help them learn, through these storms and turmoil to navigate,” Brown said.

North Carolina then won three straight and reports surfaced last week that he planned to stay with the Tar Heels. But the loss to BC reignited speculation about his future.