The 2008 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 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by second-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 8–5 overall and 4–4 in ACC play to tie for third in the Coastal Division. The Tar Heels lost to West Virginia in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. In 2011, North Carolina vacated all its wins from the 2008 and 2009 seasons.

Recruiting The Tar Heels received 16 letters of intent on National Signing Day, February 6, 2008. One student athlete had already enrolled before National Signing Day and one signed several days later, making this class smaller and less-heralded than the previous year's class.

Coaching staff After signing a contract extension at the end of the 2007 season, Butch Davis enters his second season as head coach. Chuck Pagano resigned as defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach to become an assistant coach with the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL. He was replaced by Minnesota assistant Everett Withers."Butch Davis Agrees To Contract Extension ." tarheelblue.com. Retrieved on January 28, 2008."Pagano Headed Back To NFL." tarheelblue.com. Retrieved on February 12, 2008.

Name Position "North Carolina Coaching Staff ." tarheelblue.com. Retrieved on January 28, 2008. Seasons in Position Butch Davis Head coach 2nd John Blake Associate head coach / recruiting coordinator / defensive line 2nd Ken Browning Running backs 15th Jeff Connors Strength and conditioning coordinator 8th Steve Hagen Tight Ends 2nd John Lovett Special teams coordinator / Defensive Assistant 2nd Sam Pittman Offensive Line 2nd John Shoop Offensive coordinator / quarterbacks 2nd Tommy Thigpen Linebackers 4th Charlie Williams Wide Receivers 2nd Everett Withers Defensive coordinator / defensive backs 1st Brad Davis (graduate assistant)

Roster Wide Receiver 1 Brooks Foster – Senior 2 Cooter Arnold – Senior 3 Kenton Thornton – Junior 15 Anthony Parker-Boyd – Sophomore 19 Josh Washburn – Junior 23 Quentin Plair – Sophomore 34 Brett Long – Senior 82 Todd Harrelson – Freshman 83 Dwight Jones – Freshman 85 Rashad Mason – Freshman 87 Brandon Tate – Senior 88 Hakeem Nicks – Junior

Offensive lineman 60 Zack Handerson – Sophomore 64 Jonathan Cooper – Freshman 65 Cam Holland – Freshman 66 Mike Ingersoll – Sophomore 67 Morgan Randall – Sophomore 68 Mike Dykes – Freshman 69 Lowell Dyer – Junior 70 Alan Pelc – Sophomore 71 Carl Gaskins – Freshman 72 Kyle Jolly – Junior 73 Aaron Stahl – Junior 74 Sam Ellis – Sophomore 75 Garrett Reynolds – Senior 76 Bryon Bishop – Senior 77 Kevin Bryant – Freshman 79 Calvin Darity – Senior

Half-back 17 Zack Pianalto – Sophomore 33 Christian Wilson – Freshman

Tight End 80 Ed Barham – Sophomore 81 B.J. Phillips – Sophomore 86 Randy White – Freshman 89 Richard Quinn – Senior Quarterback 7 Mike Paulus – Freshman 11 Cameron Sexton – Junior 13 T. J. Yates – Sophomore 14 Braden Hanson – Freshman

Running Back 5 Jamal Womble – Freshman 8 Greg Little – Sophomore 20 Shaun Draughn – Sophomore 30 Carter Brown – Sophomore 32 Ryan Houston – Sophomore 45 Devon Ramsay – Freshman

Fullback 4 Bobby Rome – Junior 6 Anthony Elzy – Sophomore 43 Curtis Byrd – Sophomore

Defensive tackle 9 Marvin Austin – Sophomore 91 Tydreke Powell – Freshman 93 Cam Thomas – Junior 94 Brian White – Junior 96 Tavares Brown – Junior 97 Aleric Mullins – Junior

Defensive End 40 Darius Powell – Sophomore 42 Robert Quinn – Freshman 84 Vince Jacobs – Sophomore 90 Quinton Coples – Freshman 92 E. J. Wilson – Junior 94 Michael McAdoo – Freshman 95 Greg Elleby – Sophomore 98 Darrius Massenburg – Sophomore

Cornerback 12 Charles Brown – Sophomore 16 Kendric Burney – Sophomore 23 Jordan Hemby – Junior 24 Tavorris Jolly – Sophomore 26 Richie Rich – Junior 29 Brian Gupton – Freshman 34 Johnny White – Sophomore 37 LaCount Fantroy – Freshman Linebacker 35 Herman Davidson – Freshman 36 Kennedy Tinsley – Junior 41 Mark Paschal – Senior 44 Chase Rice – Senior 45 Alex Crisp – Sophomore 47 Zach Brown – Freshman 49 Ryan Taylor – Junior 52 Quan Sturdivant – Sophomore 53 Kenneth Harris – Freshman 54 Bruce Carter – Sophomore 55 Linwan Euwell – Freshman 57 Dion Guy – Freshman 57 Hayden Hunter – Sophomore 58 Ebele Okakpu – Freshman

Safety 7 Josh Stewart – Sophomore 10 Melvin Williams – Junior 21 Da'Norris Searcy – Sophomore 25 Matt Merletti – Sophomore 27 Deunta Williams – Sophomore 28 Jonathan Smith – Sophomore 31 Trimane Goddard – Senior 32 Tyler Caldwell – Junior 32 Jeff Everett – Freshman 43 Jabir Jones – Senior

Long Snapper 51 Trevor Stuart – Sophomore 58 Mark House – Sophomore

Punter / Place Kicker 11 Casey Barth – Freshman 16 Trase Jones – Sophomore 17 Grant Schallock – Sophomore 18 Jay Wooten – Freshman 19 Terrence Brown – Senior 29 Reid Phillips – Sophomore

Schedule

Game summaries

McNeese State

Brandon Tate put on a dazzling one-man show, scoring on an 82-yard punt return and putting North Carolina ahead for good with a 57-yard touchdown catch to help the Tar Heels hold off McNeese State 35-27. Tate finished with a school-record 397 all-purpose yards for the Tar Heels, who showed little else in an unimpressive start to their second season under Butch Davis. In a game suspended nearly two hours due to weather, they blew a 14-0 first-half lead and had to rally from a third-quarter deficit against Football Championship Subdivision McNeese State, who outplayed the Heels much of the way. T. J. Yates had 221 passing yards and 2 touchdowns.

Rutgers

T. J. Yates threw three touchdown passes and the Tar Heels won for the first time outside North Carolina since 2002, beating error-prone Rutgers 44-12 in a nationally televised game that pitted Butch Davis against his former pupil, Greg Schiano. Hakeem Nicks and Brandon Tate combined for 10 catches, 204 receiving yards, and three touchdowns as the Heels offense rolled over Rutgers. Carolina's defense generated 4 Rutgers turnovers (3 INTs and a fumble) and scored off of a 66-yard interception return by Bruce Carter.

References