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2007 North Carolina Tar Heels football team

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2007 North Carolina Tar Heels football
ConferenceAtlantic Coast Conference
DivisionCoastal
Record4–8 (3–5 ACC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorJohn Shoop (1st season)
Offensive schemePro-style
Defensive coordinatorChuck Pagano (1st season)
Base defense4–3
CaptainKentwan Balmer, Connor Barth, Scott Lenahan, Garrett Reynolds, Hilee Taylor
Home stadiumKenan Memorial Stadium
Seasons
← 2006
2008 →
2007 Atlantic Coast Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Atlantic Division
No. 10 Boston College x   6 2     11 3  
No. 21 Clemson   5 3     9 4  
Wake Forest   5 3     9 4  
Florida State   4 4     7 6  
Maryland   3 5     6 7  
NC State   3 5     5 7  
Coastal Division
No. 9 Virginia Tech x$   7 1     11 3  
Virginia   6 2     9 4  
Georgia Tech   4 4     7 6  
North Carolina   3 5     4 8  
Miami (FL)   2 6     5 7  
Duke   0 8     1 11  
Championship: Virginia Tech 30, Boston College 16
  • $ – BCS representative as conference champion
  • % – BCS at-large representative
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll
A member of one football team is kicking a field goal against another football team. Both teams are visible.
Connor Barth of the North Carolina Tar Heels kicks a field goal in November 2007.

The 2007 North Carolina Tar Heels football team represented the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a member of Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) during the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by first-year head coach Butch Davis, the Tar Heels played their home games at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. North Carolina finished the season 4–8 overall and 3–5 in ACC play to place fourth in the Coastal Division.

Preseason

[edit]

Immediately after Bunting's firing on October 22, 2006 there was much speculation over who North Carolina would name their new football coach. Rumors immediately started to circulate that former head coach of the Cleveland Browns and the Miami Hurricanes, Butch Davis, was interested in the position."[1] Athletic director Dick Baddour confirmed the accuracy of the rumors when he announced on November 13, 2006, that Butch Davis had agreed to become the new head football coach."[2] Soon after his hiring, Butch Davis began to assemble his coaching staff. He was able to lure offensive coordinator John Shoop and defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano from the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League (NFL), and defensive line coach John Blake from Nebraska. Blake is regarded by many to be one of the best recruiters in all of college football."[3]

As of March 2007 many publications began releasing preseason rankings for the upcoming football season. Although UNC still ranked in the lower tier of the Atlantic Coast Conference, many publications were impressed with the Tar Heels' hiring of Butch Davis and their top ranked recruiting class."[4]

Recruiting

[edit]

The Tar Heels received 20 letters of intent on National Signing Day, February 7, 2007. Three student athletes had already enrolled before National Signing Day making this class relatively large with 23 commitments.

US college sports recruiting information for recruits
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight 40 Commit date
Marvin Austin
DT
Washington, DC Ballou HS 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 295 lb (134 kg) 4.68 Feb 7, 2007 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:5/5 stars   Rivals:5/5 stars   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: 85
Charles Brown
WR
Maple Heights, OH Maple Heights Senior HS 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 4.47 Jan 29, 2007 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:2/5 stars   Rivals:2/5 stars   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: 73
Kevin Bryant
OT
Lauderdale Lakes, FL Boyd H. Anderson HS 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 375 lb (170 kg) 5.87 Feb 7, 2007 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:4/5 stars   Rivals:3/5 stars   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: 82
Albert Craddock
LB
High Point, NC Southwest Guilford HS 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 4.45 Mar 4, 2006 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:3/5 stars   Rivals:3/5 stars   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: 75
Mike Dykes
OG
Pittsburgh, PA Woodland Hills HS 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 275 lb (125 kg) 5.20 Jan 24, 2007 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:3/5 stars   Rivals:3/5 stars   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: 77
Linwan Euwell
DE
Tarboro, NC Southwest Edgecombe HS 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 4.65 Feb 2, 2007 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:3/5 stars   Rivals:3/5 stars   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: 78
LaCount Fantroy
CB
New Berlin, NY Milford Academy 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 4.50 Jun 17, 2005 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:2/5 stars   Rivals:3/5 stars   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: 40
Carl Gaskins
OT
Melbourne, FL Palm Bay Senior HS 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 255 lb (116 kg) NA Feb 4, 2007 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:2/5 stars   Rivals:2/5 stars   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: 40
Brian Gupton
WR
Nashville, TN Pearl-Cohn HS 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 4.50 Feb 4, 2007 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:2/5 stars   Rivals:3/5 stars   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: 40
Cameron Holland
OG
Pittsburgh, PA Perry Traditional Academy 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 280 lb (130 kg) 4.95 Jan 24, 2007 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:3/5 stars   Rivals:3/5 stars   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: 72
Ryan Houston
RB
Matthews, NC David W Butler HS 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 245 lb (111 kg) 4.58 Jan 21, 2007 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:4/5 stars   Rivals:4/5 stars   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: 79
Dwight Jones
WR
Burlington, NC Hugh M Cummings HS 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 4.61 Feb 7, 2007 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:4/5 stars   Rivals:5/5 stars   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: 81
Greg Little
WR
Durham, NC Hillside HS 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 4.55 Feb 7, 2007 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:4/5 stars   Rivals:4/5 stars   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: 84
Rashad Mason
WR
Nashville, TN Pearl-Cohn HS 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 4.50 Feb 4, 2007 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:4/5 stars   Rivals:4/5 stars   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: 40
Matt Merletti
CB
Cleveland, OH St. Ignatius HS 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 4.48 Dec 12, 2006 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:2/5 stars   Rivals:2/5 stars   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: 40
Mike Paulus
QB
Syracuse, NY Christian Brothers Academy 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 4.90 Apr 28, 2006 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:4/5 stars   Rivals:5/5 stars   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: 79
Zach Pianalto
TE
Springdale, AR Springdale HS 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 4.63 Jan 2, 2007 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:4/5 stars   Rivals:3/5 stars   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: 78
Tydreke Powell
DT
Ahoskie, NC Hertford County HS 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 295 lb (134 kg) 4.90 Jan 21, 2007 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:4/5 stars   Rivals:4/5 stars   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: 81
Devon Ramsay
RB
Red Bank, NJ Lawrenceville Prep 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 242 lb (110 kg) 4.60 Jan 7, 2007 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:3/5 stars   Rivals:3/5 stars   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: 68
Da'Norris Searcy
LB
Decatur, GA Towers HS 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 4.50 Dec 10, 2006 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:4/5 stars   Rivals:3/5 stars   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: 40
Jonathan Smith
LB
Durham, NC Hillside HS 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 4.6 Apr 11, 2006 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:3/5 stars   Rivals:3/5 stars   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: 78
Quantavius Sturdivant
LB
Oakboro, NC West Stanly HS 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 227 lb (103 kg) 4.55 Nov 16, 2006 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:4/5 stars   Rivals:3/5 stars   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: 79
Jay Wooten
K
Laurinburg, NC Scotland HS 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 4.8 May 19, 2006 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:2/5 stars   Rivals:2/5 stars   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: 73
Overall recruiting rankings: Scout: 15   Rivals: 16
  • ‡ Refers to 40 yard dash
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height, weight and 40 time.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "2007 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved March 4, 2007.

Coaching staff

[edit]
Name Position[5] Seasons in Position
Butch Davis Head coach 1st
John Blake Associate head coach / recruiting coordinator / defensive line 1st
Ken Browning Running backs 14th
Jeff Connors Strength and conditioning coordinator 7th
Steve Hagen Tight Ends 1st
John Lovett Special teams coordinator / Defensive Assistant 1st
Chuck Pagano Defensive coordinator / defensive backs 1st
Sam Pittman Offensive Line 1st
John Shoop Offensive coordinator / quarterbacks 1st
Tommy Thigpen Linebackers 3rd
Charlie Williams Wide Receivers 1st

Schedule

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DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
September 16:00 p.m.No. 8 (FCS) James Madison*ESPN360W 37–1458,500
September 86:00 p.m.at East Carolina*CSTVL 31–3443,387
September 1512:00 p.m.Virginia
Raycom, LFSL 20–2258,000
September 2212:00 p.m.at No. 23 South Florida*ESPNL 10–3737,693
September 2912:00 p.m.at No. 17 Virginia TechRaycom/LFSL 10–1766,233
October 612:00 p.m.Miami (FL)
  • Kenan Memorial Stadium
  • Chapel Hill, NC
ESPN2W 33–2759,000
October 133:30 p.m.No. 7 South Carolina*
  • Kenan Memorial Stadium
  • Chapel Hill, NC
ABCL 15–2161,000
October 2712:00 p.m.at Wake ForestRaycom/LFSL 10–3733,023
November 33:45 p.m.Marylanddagger
  • Kenan Memorial Stadium
  • Chapel Hill, NC
ESPNUW 16–1356,000
November 1012:00 p.m.at NC StateRaycom/LFSL 27–3157,583
November 1712:00 p.m.at Georgia TechRaycom/LFSL 25–2745,490
November 243:30 p.m.Duke
ESPNUW 20–14 OT52,000
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Eastern time

[6]

Team statistics

[edit]
  Passing Leader   Cmp   Att   Yds   TD   Int  
T. J. Yates 218 365 2655 14 18
  Rushing Leaders   Car   Yds   Long   TD  
Johnny White 95 399 39 0
Anthony Elzy 92 321 39 5
Greg Little 59 300 38 2
Ryan Houston 44 145 10 1
Brandon Tate 12 131 54 1
  Receiving Leaders   Rec   Yds   Long   TD  
Hakeem Nicks 74 958 53 5
Brandon Tate 25 479 51 5
Brooks Foster 29 417 65 2
  Kicking   XPM   XPA   FGM   FGM   Long   Pts  
Connor Barth 21 23 19 22 51 78

References

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  1. ^ "Butch Davis jumps to top of list for North Carolina job." ESPN.com. Retrieved on March 4, 2007.
  2. ^ "Butch Davis hired to coach at UNC Archived October 2, 2007, at the Wayback Machine." sportingnews.com. Retrieved on March 4, 2007.
  3. ^ "John Blake Hired As North Carolina Assistant Football Coach Archived 2007-03-01 at the Wayback Machine." tarheelblue.com. Retrieved on March 4, 2007.
  4. ^ "Inside Spring Drills: ACC Preview." rivals.com. Retrieved on March 4, 2007.
  5. ^ "North Carolina Coaching Staff Archived 2007-12-14 at the Wayback Machine." tarheelblue.com. Retrieved on March 4, 2007.
  6. ^ "UNC Football Media Guide, 2008".