North Carolina head coach Mack Brown will return in 2024 for his 16th season as the Tar Heels’ head coach.

A Carolina spokesperson confirmed on Thursday that Brown will, in fact, be back next season for what will be his 35th year as an FBS head coach. Brown turned 72 this past August, and there had been some buzz of late about a possible retirement. 247Sports’ Brandon Marcello reported on Thursday, citing “industry sources,” that Brown could retire this offseason.

Several outlets in the UNC media reached out to Carolina for a response.

“It’s that time of year, so someone is going to start this rumor in hopes of affecting our team and/or recruiting like they’ve done (the) past two years,” the spokesperson said in a statement, via Inside Carolina. “Mack (Brown) is full steam ahead. In fact, he already has spring practice planned and is currently setting up recruiting visits for December, so no, he’s not retiring”

Brown returned to Chapel Hill in 2019. Since, he has led the Tar Heels to bowl games every season. UNC is 8-2 through its first 10 games this fall, making it consecutive years with at least eight wins in the team’s first 10 games.

But closing has been a struggle. UNC was 9-1 last season after a Nov. 12 win over Wake Forest. Then it lost each of its final four games, including the ACC Championship Game to Clemson and then a thriller to Oregon in the Holiday Bowl.

Carolina opened this season 6-0 before suffering back-to-back losses to Virginia and Georgia Tech that put it on the outside looking in on the ACC title race. The Tar Heels have since rebounded with wins over Campbell (59-7) and Duke (47-45).

The Tar Heels face Clemson on the road this Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. Brown, the program’s all-time winningest coach, will go for win No. 108.