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Mack Brown told team he was retiring in aftermath of James Madison loss, per report
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Mack Brown’s tenure in Chapel Hill may be coming to an end sooner rather than later.
According to a report from 247Sports’ Adam Smith, Brown told his team on Saturday night that he would be walking away from his position as UNC’s head coach following the Tar Heels’ 70-50 loss to James Madison.
Smith’s report also says, however, that another program source denied that Brown would be resigning as Carolina’s coach. It also says that UNC players were immediately supportive of Brown remaining in his job and took accountability for the performance.
ESPN’s Chris Low added to Smith’s report on Saturday evening. Low says that Brown has told ESPN he’s not going to retire but acknowledged an “emotional” locker room in the aftermath of UNC’s loss.
Mack Brown told ESPN on Saturday he’s not resigning and “will be back at work” Sunday following an embarrassing 70-50 loss to James Madison. He said it was an emotional locker room and told the team he blamed himself and would step away if he couldn’t get things straightened out.
— Chris Low (@ClowESPN) September 22, 2024
It seems Brown is expected to be back in Chapel Hill on Sunday to continue with prep for the Tar Heels’ Week 5 game against Duke.
However, it seems likely that the end of Brown’s second stint at UNC could be coming soon. Brown, 73, is the oldest active coach in FBS and has frequently been the subject of retirement rumors in recent years.
Carolina’s play on the field has also plateaued over the past couple of seasons. Despite a 3-0 start to the year this season, the Tar Heels delivered one of their worst defensive performances in years in allowing James Madison to score 70 points in Chapel Hill.
In his postgame press conference on Saturday, Brown said the loss to James Madison was “embarrassing.”
Spenser is a news editor for Saturday Down South and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.
