2007 North Carolina Tar Heels football team

NCAATeamSeason
Mode = football
Year = 2007
Team = North Carolina Tar Heels


ImageSize = 97
Conference = Atlantic Coast Conference
Division = Coastal
ShortConference = ACC
BCSRank =
CoachRank =
APRank =
Record = 4-8
ConfRecord = 3-5
HeadCoach = Butch Davis
OffCoach = John Shoop
DefCoach = Chuck Pagano
OScheme =
DScheme =
StadiumArena = Kenan Memorial Stadium
Champion =
BowlTourney =
BowlTourneyResult =

The 2007 North Carolina Tar Heels football team represented the University of North Carolina in the 2007 college football season. The team was led by first year coach Butch Davis.

Previous season

The 2006 North Carolina football team began with the Tar Heels unranked in the AP and coaches' preseason polls. Despite the fact that they were receiving little national attention, there was much optimism in the state of North Carolina.The team got off to a shaky start losing six out of their first seven games. Just days after playing their seventh game of the season, a 23-0 loss to Virginia in Charlottesville, the University of North Carolina announced that head coach John Bunting would be relieved of his duties at the conclusion of the season." [" [http://www.newsobserver.com/758/story/501963.html UNC's Bunting out at end of season] ." "newsobserver.com." Retrieved on March 4, 2007.] After the announcement of Bunting's firing the team arguably became much more competitive and won their last two games of the season, 23-9 against North Carolina State and 45-44 against Duke.

Preseason

Immediately after Bunting's firing on October 22, 2006 there was much speculation over who UNC would name their new football coach. Rumors immediately started to circulate that former head coach of the Cleveland Browns and Miami Butch Davis was highly interested in the job vacancy." [" [http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2648903 Butch Davis jumps to top of list for North Carolina job] ." "espn.com." Retrieved on March 4, 2007.] Athletic Director Dick Baddour put the rumors to rest when he announced on November 13, 2006 that Butch Davis had agreed to become the new head football coach." [" [http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?p=1350274 Butch Davis hired to coach at UNC] ." "sportingnews.com." Retrieved on March 4, 2007.] 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 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." [" [http://tarheelblue.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/121506aab.html John Blake Hired As North Carolina Assistant Football Coach] ." "tarheelblue.com." Retrieved on March 4, 2007.]

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." [" [http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=645402 Inside Spring Drills: ACC Preview] ." "rivals.com." Retrieved on March 4, 2007.]

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 Athlete Recruit Entry
recruit = Marvin Austin
position = DT
hometown = Washington, DC
highschool = Ballou HS
feet = 6
inches = 2
weight = 295
40 = 4.68
commitdate = 2007-02-07
scout stars = 5
rivals stars = 5
espn grade = 85College Athlete Recruit Entry
recruit = Charles Brown
position = WR
hometown = Maple Heights, OH
highschool = Maple Heights Senior HS
feet = 5
inches = 9
weight = 190
40 = 4.47
commitdate = 2007-01-29
scout stars = 2
rivals stars = 2
espn grade = 73College Athlete Recruit Entry
recruit = Kevin Bryant
position = OT
hometown = Lauderdale Lakes, FL
highschool = Boyd H. Anderson HS
feet = 6
inches = 6
weight = 375
40 = 5.87
commitdate = 2007-02-07
scout stars = 4
rivals stars = 3
espn grade = 82College Athlete Recruit Entry
recruit = Albert Craddock
position = LB
hometown = High Point, NC
highschool = Southwest Guilford HS
feet = 6
inches = 2
weight = 205
40 = 4.45
commitdate = 2006-03-04
scout stars = 3
rivals stars = 3
espn grade = 75College Athlete Recruit Entry
recruit = Mike Dykes
position = OG
hometown = Pittsburgh, PA
highschool = Woodland Hills HS
feet = 6
inches = 3
weight = 275
40 = 5.20
commitdate = 2007-01-24
scout stars = 3
rivals stars = 3
espn grade = 77College Athlete Recruit Entry
recruit = Linwan Euwell
position = DE
hometown = Tarboro, NC
highschool = Southwest Edgecombe HS
feet = 6
inches = 2
weight = 210
40 = 4.65
commitdate = 2007-02-02
scout stars = 3
rivals stars = 3
espn grade = 78College Athlete Recruit Entry
recruit = LaCount Fantroy
position = CB
hometown = New Berlin, NY
highschool = Milford Academy
feet = 5
inches = 11
weight = 170
40 = 4.50
commitdate = 2005-06-17
scout stars = 2
rivals stars = 3
espn grade = 40College Athlete Recruit Entry
recruit = Carl Gaskins
position = OT
hometown = Melbourne, FL
highschool = Palm Bay Senior HS
feet = 6
inches = 5
weight = 255
40 = NA
commitdate = 2007-02-04
scout stars = 2
rivals stars = 2
espn grade = 40College Athlete Recruit Entry
recruit = Brian Gupton
position = WR
hometown = Nashville, TN
highschool = Pearl-Cohn HS
feet = 6
inches = 3
weight = 185
40 = 4.50
commitdate = 2007-02-04
scout stars = 2
rivals stars = 3
espn grade = 40College Athlete Recruit Entry
recruit = Cameron Holland
position = OG
hometown = Pittsburgh, PA
highschool = Perry Traditional Academy
feet = 6
inches = 2
weight = 280
40 = 4.95
commitdate = 2007-01-24
scout stars = 3
rivals stars = 3
espn grade = 72College Athlete Recruit Entry
recruit = Ryan Houston
position = RB
hometown = Matthews, NC
highschool = David W Butler HS
feet = 6
inches = 2
weight = 245
40 = 4.58
commitdate = 2007-01-21
scout stars = 4
rivals stars = 4
espn grade = 79College Athlete Recruit Entry
recruit = Dwight Jones
position = WR
hometown = Burlington, NC
highschool = Hugh M Cummings HS
feet = 6
inches = 5
weight = 210
40 = 4.61
commitdate = 2007-02-07
scout stars = 4
rivals stars = 5
espn grade = 81College Athlete Recruit Entry
recruit = Greg Little
position = WR
hometown = Durham, NC
highschool = Hillside HS
feet = 6
inches = 3
weight = 215
40 = 4.55
commitdate = 2007-02-07
scout stars = 4| rivals stars = 4
espn grade = 84College Athlete Recruit Entry
recruit = Rashad Mason
position = WR
hometown = Nashville, TN
highschool = Pearl-Cohn HS
feet = 6
inches = 6
weight = 215
40 = 4.50
commitdate = 2007-02-04
scout stars = 4
rivals stars = 4
espn grade = 40College Athlete Recruit Entry
recruit = Matt Merletti
position = CB
hometown = Cleveland, OH
highschool = St. Ignatius HS
feet = 5
inches = 11
weight = 185
40 = 4.48
commitdate = 2006-12-12
scout stars = 2
rivals stars = 2
espn grade = 40College Athlete Recruit Entry
recruit = Mike Paulus
position = QB
hometown = Syracuse, NY
highschool = Christian Brothers Academy
feet = 6
inches = 5
weight = 220
40 = 4.90
commitdate = 2006-04-28
scout stars = 4
rivals stars = 5
espn grade = 79College Athlete Recruit Entry
recruit = Zach Pianalto
position = TE
hometown = Springdale, AR
highschool = Springdale HS
feet = 6
inches = 4
weight = 220
40 = 4.63
commitdate = 2007-01-02
scout stars = 4
rivals stars = 3
espn grade = 78College Athlete Recruit Entry
recruit = Tydreke Powell
position = DT
hometown = Ahoskie, NC
highschool = Hertford County HS
feet = 6
inches = 3
weight = 295
40 = 4.90
commitdate = 2007-01-21
scout stars = 4
rivals stars = 4
espn grade = 81College Athlete Recruit Entry
recruit = Devon Ramsay
position = RB
hometown = Red Bank, NJ
highschool = Lawrenceville Prep
feet = 6
inches = 2
weight = 242
40 = 4.60
commitdate = 2007-02-07
scout stars = 3
rivals stars = 3
espn grade = 68College Athlete Recruit Entry
recruit = Da'Norris Searcy
position = LB
hometown = Decatur, GA
highschool = Towers HS
feet = 6
inches = 0
weight = 195
40 = 4.50
commitdate = 2006-12-10
scout stars = 4
rivals stars = 3
espn grade = 40College Athlete Recruit Entry
recruit = Jonathan Smith
position = LB
hometown = Durham, NC
highschool = Hillside HS
feet = 6
inches = 2
weight = 190
40 = 4.6
commitdate = 2006-04-11
scout stars = 3
rivals stars = 3
espn grade = 78College Athlete Recruit Entry
recruit = Quantavius Sturdivant
position = LB
hometown = Oakboro, NC
highschool = West Stanly HS
feet = 6
inches = 3
weight = 227
40 = 4.55
commitdate = 2006-11-16
scout stars = 4
rivals stars = 3
espn grade = 79College Athlete Recruit Entry
recruit = Jay Wooten
position = K
hometown = Laurinburg, NC
highschool = Scotland HS
feet = 6
inches = 3
weight = 180
40 = 4.8
commitdate = 2006-05-19
scout stars = 2
rivals stars = 2
espn grade = 73College Athlete Recruit End
40 = yes
year = 2007
rivals ref title = North Carolina Commit List for 2007
scout ref title = Scout.com Football Recruiting: North Carolina
espn ref title = RecruitTracker 2007: North Carolina
rivals school =
scout s =
espn schoolid =
scout overall = 15
rivals overall = 16
accessdate = 2007-03-04
collapse = yes

Coaching Staff

References