The North Carolina football program fired Mack Brown, and now a surprising candidate has emerged as the favorite to get the job.

Per the team's official website, they've named Freddie Kitchens as their interim head coach in place of Mack Brown. Brown was fired by North Carolina following their 41-21 loss to Boston College on Nov. 23, and his last day with the program is Sunday, Dec. 1.

A day after the regular season ended with a 35-30 loss to rival North Carolina State at home, North Carolina named assistant Freddie Kitchens the Tar Heels' interim head coach while the school seeks a replacement for Mack Brown.

Following the end of North Carolina's regular season and Mack Brown's firing, a player has already entered the transfer portal.

Former Cleveland Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens has been named the interim head coach at the University of North Carolina, the school announced Sunday. Kitchens, 50, has served as the Tarheels’ run game coordinator and tight ends coach for the past two seasons after being hired in February 2023.

Kitchens, who served a year as head coach of the Cleveland Browns, joined Mack Brown’s staff in February 2023.

North Carolina named former Alabama quarterback Freddie Kitchens as the Tar Heels’ interim head coach on Sunday. He takes the reins from Mack Brown with UNC preparing to complete its season with a bowl trip. Kitchens is in his second season as the Tar Heels’ tight-ends coach and run-game coordinator.

Former NFL head coach Freddie Kitchens will serve as interim coach for North Carolina's expected bowl game after the recent firing of Mack Brown.

North Carolina brought the second Mack Brown era to an inauspicious end on Tuesday morning, firing the venerable head coach after the Tar Heels' disappointing 6