CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WNCN) – One day after Mack Brown coached his final game on the sideline for the University of North Carolina football team, his temporary successor has been named.
UNC tight ends coach and run game coordinator Freddie Kitchens will serve as interim head coach for the upcoming bowl game, the university announced on Sunday.
After working on the Tar Heels staff for the last two seasons, Kitchens is fulfilling the duties for the recently departed Brown, whose officially stepped down as head coach on Sunday.
“Freddie Kitchens is an incredibly talented coach who is respected by our student-athletes and staff,’’ UNC athletics director Bubba Cunningham said in a released statement. “He is dedicated to doing all he can to help lead our program through this transition, and we appreciate his willingness to take on this role.”
Prior to joining the UNC football program in February 2023, Kitchens spent 16 years in the NFL, which included a one season stint as head coach of the Cleveland Browns, as well as a Super Bowl appearance as an assistant with the Arizona Cardinals in 2008.
Kitchens arrived in Chapel Hill following his collegiate coaching debut as a senior football analyst at South Carolina during the 2022 season.