# 2007 North Carolina Tar Heels football team

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

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." 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." 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."
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."

## Recruiting

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.
College recruiting information :
| 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 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/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 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/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 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/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 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/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 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/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 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/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 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/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 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/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 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/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 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/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 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/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 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/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 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/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 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/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 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/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 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/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 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/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 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/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 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/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 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/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 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/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 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/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 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/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

| Name | Position | 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

| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 1 | 6:00 p.m. | No. 8 (FCS) James Madison* | Kenan Memorial StadiumChapel Hill, NC | ESPN360 | W 37–14 | 58,500 |
| September 8 | 6:00 p.m. | at East Carolina* | Dowdy–Ficklen StadiumGreenville, NC | CSTV Carter Blackburn, Brian Jones | L 31–34 | 43,387 |
| September 15 | 12:00 p.m. | Virginia | Kenan Memorial StadiumChapel Hill, NC (South's Oldest Rivalry) | Raycom/LFS Steve Martin, Rick Walker, Mike Hogewood | L 20–22 | 58,000 |
| September 22 | 12:00 p.m. | at No. 23 South Florida* | Raymond James StadiumTampa, FL | ESPN Pam Ward, Ray Bentley, Rob Simmelkjaer | L 10–37 | 37,693 |
| September 29 | 12:00 p.m. | at No. 17 Virginia Tech | Lane StadiumBlacksburg, VA | Raycom/LFS Steve Martin, Rick Walker, Scott Pryzwansky | L 10–17 | 66,233 |
| October 6 | 12:00 p.m. | Miami (FL) | Kenan Memorial StadiumChapel Hill, NC | ESPN2 Pam Ward, Ray Bentley, Quint Kessenich | W 33–27 | 59,000 |
| October 13 | 3:30 p.m. | No. 7 South Carolina* | Kenan Memorial StadiumChapel Hill, NC | ABC Dave LaMont, Jesse Palmer, Vince Welch | L 15–21 | 61,000 |
| October 27 | 12:00 p.m. | at Wake Forest | BB&T FieldWinston-Salem, NC (rivalry) | Raycom/LFS Steve Martin, Rick Walker, Scott Pryzwansky | L 10–37 | 33,023 |
| November 3 | 3:45 p.m. | Maryland | Kenan Memorial StadiumChapel Hill, NC | ESPNU Doug Bell, Charles Arbuckle | W 16–13 | 56,000 |
| November 10 | 12:00 p.m. | at NC State | Carter–Finley StadiumRaleigh, NC (rivalry) | Raycom/LFS Steve Martin, Rick Walker, Scott Pryzwansky | L 27–31 | 57,583 |
| November 17 | 12:00 p.m. | at Georgia Tech | Bobby Dodd StadiumAtlanta, GA | Raycom/LFS Mike Hogewood, Jeff Bostic, Scott Pryzwansky | L 25–27 | 45,490 |
| November 24 | 3:30 p.m. | Duke | Kenan Memorial StadiumChapel Hill, NC (Victory Bell) | ESPNU Doug Bell, Jay Walker | W 20–14 $^{OT}$ | 52,000 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Eastern time |||||||

## Team statistics

| 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 |