Others may think it's time for Mack Brown to retire. But he doesn't.

North Carolina football coach Mack Brown dismissed retirement talk Monday, saying he intends to lead the Tar Heels' program in 2025.

Talk about the 73-year-old's future intensified last week when reports surfaced that he has been telling recruits he plans to continue coaching. Then Boston College snapped the Tar Heels' three-game winning streak with a 41-21 victory that left Brown and North Carolina at 6-5 on the season.

"Yes," Brown said when if it was still his intention to return next season.

He is not a man of few words.

Brown, who is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, is 282-149-1 overall in 35 seasons as a head coach. He has coached 16 years at UNC, over two stints. Brown is 44-32 in six seasons since returning to Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels have qualified for a bowl in each season since he came back.

North Carolina (6-5, 3-4 in the ACC) hosts NC State (5-6, 2-5) on Saturday in the regular-season finale for both teams. NC State has won three straight in the rivalry, including a 39-20 victory last year.

"My total focus is on NC State," Brown said. "What an awful thing to be talking about me when we just played a bad game and need to beat State."

Last week, CBS Sports reported that Brown intends to return, saying he has been telling those around the program. On Sunday, USA Today wrote that Brown was "embarrassingly wrong" in thinking he is still the best man to lead the Tar Heels.

"I'm going to do it as long as I'm happy, as long as I'm healthy and as long as I'm effective," Brown said he tells recruits. "I'm not going to think about retiring. I'm not going to talk about retiring. Hadn't changed that for six years."

He added: "They'll be a morning when I get up and I say, 'You know what? Somebody else should be leading this team. They're better than I am at this point.' And then I'll go do something else. But I got way too much to do to be worried about next week. I'm trying to beat NC State."

Brown said he plans to have his customary talk with athletics director Bubba Cunningham after the season.

It's been a trying season for Brown and the football program. Wide receiver Tylee Craft died in October after a two-year battle with cancer.

On the field, starting quarterback Max Johnson suffered a season-ending injury in the season opener. The team was embarrassed by James Madison 70-50 at home and blew a fourth-quarter lead in a 21-20 loss to rival Duke.

But the Tar Heels rallied with three consecutive wins to get bowl eligible before last week's loss at Boston College.

As he has said in the past, Brown said he continues to coach for his players.

"What I do this for is the kids," he said. "You have a powerful purpose in your life when you can help change someone's life. Not many of us get to do that."