2008 North Carolina Tar Heels football team


The 2008 North Carolina Tar Heels football team represented the University of North Carolina in the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tar Heels played their home games at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, competed in the Atlantic Coast Conference, and were led by second-year coach Butch Davis. The Tar Heels began their season on August 30 against McNeese State at Kenan Memorial Stadium. The team went 4–4 in conference play and 8–5 overall, but 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.
NamePositionSeasons in Position
Butch DavisHead Coach2nd
John BlakeAssociate Head Coach / Recruiting Coordinator / Defensive Line2nd
Ken BrowningRunning Backs15th
Jeff ConnorsStrength and Conditioning Coordinator8th
Steve HagenTight Ends2nd
John LovettSpecial Teams Coordinator / Defensive Assistant2nd
Sam PittmanOffensive Line2nd
John ShoopOffensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks2nd
Tommy ThigpenLinebackers4th
Charlie WilliamsWide Receivers2nd
Everett WithersDefensive Coordinator / Defensive Backs1st

Roster

Schedule

Did not play: Clemson, Florida State, and Wake Forest. The spring football game is on March 28, 2009.

Game summaries

McNeese State

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

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 and scored off of a 66-yard interception return by Bruce Carter.