Brown is the leader in games won (113) during his 16 years with the program. Branch Bocock has the highest winning percentage of those who have coached more than one game, with .812. Gene McEver has the lowest winning percentage of those who have coached more than one game, with .167. Of the 35 head coaches who have led the Tar Heels, Snavely, Jim Tatum, and Brown have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.[4][5]
List of head football coaches showing season(s) coached, overall records, conference records, postseason records, championships and selected awards[A 5]
^Although the first Rose Bowl Game was played in 1902, it has been continuously played since the 1916 game, and is recognized as the oldest bowl game by the NCAA. "—" indicates any season prior to 1916 when postseason games were not played.[6]
^A running total of the number of head coaches, with coaches who served separate tenures being counted only once. Interim head coaches are represented with "Int" and are not counted in the running total. "—" indicates the team played but either without a coach or no coach is on record. "X" indicates an interim year without play.
^Overtime rules in college football were introduced in 1996, making ties impossible in the period since.[7]
^When computing the win–loss percentage, a tie counts as half a win and half a loss.[8]
^North Carolina did not field teams in 1890 after the faculty voted to discontinue the sport and in 1917 and 1918 due to World War I.[2]
^Divisional champions advanced to the ACC Championship Game since the institution of divisional play beginning in the 2005 season through 2019, and again from 2021-2022. During that time, North Carolina competed as a member of the Coastal division.[9]
^The ACC Coach of the Year is voted by Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association (ACSMA).[15]
^Davis' record at the conclusion of the 2008 season was eight wins and five losses (8–5, 4–4 ACC) and eight wins and five losses (8–5, 4–4 ACC) in 2009. In September 2011, North Carolina vacated their 16 victories due to sanctions stemming from academic misconduct and accepting illegal benefits discovered during the 2010 season for the 2008 and 2009 seasons. As the penalty to vacate victories does not result in a loss (or forfeiture) of the affected contests or award a victory to the opponent, the official NCAA record for these years are 0–5 and 0–5 respectively.[16][17]
^Everett Withers was named interim head coach for the 2011 season, following the termination of Butch Davis as head coach.[18]
^Freddie Kitchens was named interim head coach for the Tar Heels' upcoming Fenway Bowl game following the termination of Mack Brown as head coach.
^National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) (2011). Bowl/All-Star Game Records(PDF). Indianapolis, Indiana: NCAA. pp. 5–10. Archived(PDF) from the original on October 5, 2011. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
^Finder, Chuck (September 6, 1987). "Big plays help Paterno to 200th". The New York Times. New York City. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved October 22, 2009.
^ abcd2011 North Carolina Football Media Guide, p. 116-117
^"2010 ACC Football Information Guide"(PDF). The ACC. Office of the Commissioner and the Communications Office of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Retrieved September 19, 2012.