2009 North Carolina Tar Heels football team The 2009 North Carolina Tar Heels football team represented the University of North Carolina during its 57th season in the Atlantic Coast Conference . The Tar Heels played in the Coastal Division of the conference . The Tar Heels finished the season 8 – 5 , 4 – 4 in ACC play and lost in the Meineke Car Care Bowl 19 – 17 against Pittsburgh . However , in 2011 , North Carolina vacated all its wins from both the 2008 season and 2009 season . Preseason . Key Losses . On January 5 , 2009 starting wide - receiver Hakeem Nicks announced that he would forgo his senior year in order to enter the 2009 NFL Draft . In just three years Nicks had set 14 school records , including career receptions ( 181 ) , career receiving yards ( 2 , 580 ) , and career touchdowns ( 21 ) . In his senior season , Nicks was named first - team All - Atlantic Coast Conference after catching 68 passes for 1 , 222 yards and 12 touchdowns . He was the only player in UNC history with more than 1 , 000 yards receiving in a season . The following are some of the other key players who will no longer play for North Carolina in the 2009 season : Offense : Defense : Special Teams : Key Returns . For 2009 , the Tar Heels are likely to return numerous starters from the previous season . The following players will maintain their playing eligibility and in all likelihood will return for the season : Offense : Defense : Special Teams : Recruiting . As of February 6 , 2009 , Scout . com rated North Carolina ' s 2009 recruiting class as 5th in the nation , Rivals . com ranked North Carolina ' s recruiting class as 6th , and ESPN ranked 12th . Joshua Adams ( WR ) and Kevin Reddick ( LB ) plan to enroll in January 2009 and do not count against the limit of 25 recruits per year . The other following players have offered North Carolina non - binding verbal commitments . These pledges can become binding when recruits sign their National Letters of Intent on February 4 , 2009 . Schedule . Did not play : Clemson , Maryland , and Wake Forest . Game notes . The Citadel . North Carolina had its best rushing game under coach Butch Davis with 260 total rushing yards ( its most since 2004 ) , and Shaun Draughn rushing for 118 yards , his fourth 100 - yard rushing game . T . J . Yates threw two touchdown passes and threw for 114 yards . UConn . North Carolina managed to come back by scoring 12 points against Connecticut in the fourth quarter to win the game . North Carolina gained its final two points when Connecticut ' s senior tackle Dan Ryan was flagged for holding North Carolina ' s end Robert Quinn in the end zone , which gave North Carolina a safety , with 1 : 32 left in the fourth quarter . Miami . Miami and North Carolina last met at Miami on September 27 , 2008 in a game won by UNC 28 – 24 . Miami is 5 – 7 all time versus UNC . Boston College . The Tar Heels defeated a Boston College team that was playing for an outside shot at a trip to the ACC Championship Game . The UNC defense stifled the Eagles offense for much of the game , holding them to 0 conversions on 13 3rd down attempts . Freshman Boston College quarterback David Shinskie threw for more yards to the Tar Heels defenders than to his own team . His four interceptions were returned for a total of 133 yards , while his twelve completions gained only 101 yards . Tar Heels DB Kendric Burney ' s interception return for a touchdown was his second in as many games . Cam Thomas added another defensive touchdown on a fumble return . UNC ' s offense had four turnovers of their own ( 3 T . J . Yates interceptions , 1 fumble by Erik Highsmith ) , and struggled to move the ball for much of the game . The UNC running attack was slowed due to a lower extremity injury to Ryan Houston who was sidelined for most of the second half . However , he did return for a 1 - yard touchdown run . UNC ' s stout defense once again came up with big plays in the Tar Heel ' s fourth straight win .