2010 North Carolina Tar Heels football team

2010 North Carolina Tar Heels football
Music City Bowl champion
Music City Bowl, W 30–27 ^2OT vs. Tennessee
Conference	Atlantic Coast Conference
Division	Coastal
Record	8–5 (4–4 ACC)
Head coach	Butch Davis (4th season)
Offensive coordinator	John Shoop (4th season)
Offensive scheme	Pro-style
Defensive coordinator	Everett Withers (3rd season)
Base defense	4–3
Captain	T. J. Yates, Johnny White, Bruce Carter, Tydreke Powell, Ryan Taylor, Zach Brown
Home stadium	Kenan Memorial Stadium

2010 Atlantic Coast Conference football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
Atlantic Division
No. 17 Florida State x		6	–	2					10	–	4
No. 23 Maryland		5	–	3					9	–	4
No. 25 NC State		5	–	3					9	–	4
Boston College		4	–	4					7	–	6
Clemson		4	–	4					6	–	7
Wake Forest		1	–	7					3	–	9
Coastal Division
No. 16 Virginia Tech x$		8	–	0					11	–	3
Miami (FL)		5	–	3					7	–	6
Georgia Tech		4	–	4					6	–	7
North Carolina		4	–	4					8	–	5
Duke		1	–	7					3	–	9
Virginia		1	–	7					4	–	8
Championship: Virginia Tech 44, Florida State 33
$ – BCS representative as conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions Rankings from AP Poll

The 2010 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 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by fourth-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. They were invited to the Music City Bowl, where they defeated Tennessee, 30–27, in two overtimes.

NCAA investigations

Main article: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill football scandal

On July 15, 2010, ESPN reported that players at the University of North Carolina were being investigated and interviewed by the NCAA for possible rules violations concerning sports agents and improper gifts.^[1] The next day, it was confirmed that certain members of the football team were thought to have received improper gifts from agents,^[2] which is not allowed by NCAA rules.^[3] Marvin Austin, one of the players suspected in the probe, had made numerous Twitter posts with questionable content,^[4] which the NCAA investigated,^[5] and he was the first UNC player to be indefinitely suspended, though for violation of team rules, and not the NCAA probe.^[6] Butch Davis, the head coach, did not say much about the probe,^[7] as he, and many others, expected a quick resolution to the investigation,^[8] and he was known for running a clean program.^[9] Soon after though, the NCAA began to look at defensive line coach John Blake, his relationship with certain agents,^[5][10] and whether or not he had received money from them.^[11] He later resigned.^[12] Also, former UNC lineman Kentwan Balmer admitted that he had paid for a trip to California for two current players.^[13] It soon became apparent that things would be much worse, and 13 players were suspended for the opening game.^[14][15] Furthermore, the university launched its own probe, and found academic misconduct within the football team.^[16][17]

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Source
September 4	8:00 p.m.	vs. No. 21 LSU*	No. 18	Georgia Dome Atlanta, GA (Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game, College GameDay)	ABC	L 24–30	68,919[18]	[19]
September 18	12:00 p.m.	Georgia Tech		Kenan Memorial Stadium Chapel Hill, NC	ACCN	L 24–30	58,500[18]	[20]
September 25	3:30 p.m.	at Rutgers*		Rutgers Stadium Piscataway, NJ	ESPNU	W 17–13	52,038[18]	[21]
October 2	3:30 p.m.	East Carolina*		Kenan Memorial Stadium Chapel Hill, NC	ESPN3	W 42–17	60,000[18]	[22]
October 9	3:30 p.m.	Clemson		Kenan Memorial Stadium Chapel Hill, NC	ABC/ESPN	W 21–16	60,000[18]	[23]
October 16	6:00 p.m.	at Virginia		Scott Stadium Charlottesville, VA (South's Oldest Rivalry)	ESPN3	W 44–10	50,830[18]	[24]
October 23	7:30 p.m.	at No. 25 Miami (FL)		Sun Life Stadium Miami Gardens, FL	ESPN2	L 10–33	43,584[18]
October 30	3:30 p.m.	No. 3 (FCS) William & Mary*		Kenan Memorial Stadium Chapel Hill, NC	ESPN3	W 21–17	51,000[18]
November 6	3:30 p.m.	at No. 24 Florida State		Doak Campbell Stadium Tallahassee, FL	ABC	W 37–35	70,157[18]
November 13	3:30 p.m.	No. 16 Virginia Tech		Kenan Memorial Stadium Chapel Hill, NC	ABC	L 10–26	60,000[18]
November 20	12:00 p.m.	NC State		Kenan Memorial Stadium Chapel Hill, NC (rivalry)	ACCN	L 25–29	60,000[18]
November 27	3:30 p.m.	at Duke		Wallace Wade Stadium Durham, NC (Victory Bell)	ESPNU	W 24–19	30,904[18]	[25]
December 30	6:30 p.m.	vs. Tennessee*		LP Field Nashville, TN (Music City Bowl)	ESPN	W 30–27 ^2OT	69,143[18]
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time

NFL Draft

Twelve Tar Heels were invited to the NFL Scouting Combine, more than any other team in the nation. Nineteen players participated in the annual university pro day, which attracted nearly 100 scouts and coaches from the National Football League (NFL).^[26] Many of the players participating, however, missed either part or all of the games played this season due to the above-mentioned investigation. With nine players selected in the 2011 NFL draft, the Tar Heels were tied with USC for the most players selected.

Round	Pick	Player	Position	NFL Team
1	14	Robert Quinn*	DE	St. Louis Rams
2	40	Bruce Carter	OLB	Dallas Cowboys
2	52	Marvin Austin*	DT	New York Giants
2	59	Greg Little*	WR	Cleveland Browns
4	100	Da'Norris Searcy†	SS	Buffalo Bills
5	133	Johnny White	RB	Buffalo Bills
5	152	T. J. Yates	QB	Houston Texans
5	171	Quan Sturdivant	ILB	Arizona Cardinals
7	218	Ryan Taylor	TE	Green Bay Packers

* did not play in the 2010 season due to investigation

† missed part of the 2010 season due to investigation

References

1. "Sources: NCAA investigating North Carolina Tar Heels' football program". ESPN. July 15, 2010. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
2. Giglio, J.P. (July 16, 2010). "NCAA Begins Probe of UNC". The News & Observer. Raleigh. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
3. "UNC Football Players Meet Today". The News & Observer. Raleigh. July 20, 2010. Archived from the original on September 26, 2010. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
4. Giglio, J. P. (July 21, 2010). "UNC's Austin posted more than 2,400 Twitter updates". The News & Observer. Raleigh. Archived from the original on August 15, 2014. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
5. Robinson, Charles (August 9, 2010). "Coach-agent ties probed". Yahoo! Sports. Archived from the original on August 19, 2010. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
6. "Sources: Tar Heels to face multiple suspensions; Marvin Austin suspended indefinitely". ESPN. September 2, 2010. Archived from the original on September 4, 2010. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
7. "Pigskin Preview: Butch Davis Interview". Scout. July 22, 2010. Archived from the original on September 26, 2010. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
8. Decock, Luke (July 23, 2010). "Davis Ends His Silence On Probe". The News & Observer. Raleigh. Archived from the original on September 26, 2010. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
9. "UNC Coach Built Reputation for Clean Programs". The Charlotte Observer. July 31, 2010. Retrieved September 24, 2010.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
10. Giglio, J. P. (August 10, 2010). "NCAA Focuses on UNC Coach". The News & Observer. Raleigh. Archived from the original on September 14, 2010. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
11. Tysiac, Ken (September 6, 2010). "Embattled UNC Assistant Blake Steps Down". The News & Observer. Raleigh. Archived from the original on September 8, 2010. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
12. Dinich, Heather (September 5, 2010). "UNC's John Blake Resigns". ESPN. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
13. Giglio, J. P. (August 11, 2010). "Trip Paid for, Ex-Tar Heel Says". The News & Observer. Raleigh. Archived from the original on September 14, 2010. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
14. "Thirteen North Carolina Tar Heels players won't play vs. LSU Tigers in opener". ESPN. September 4, 2010. Archived from the original on September 6, 2010. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
15. "ACC Now – Instant Analysis: Worst-Case Scenario for UNC". The News & Observer. Raleigh. April 14, 2009. Archived from the original on September 5, 2010. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
16. Ferreri, Eric (September 9, 2010). "Baddour: UNC's Academic Misconduct 'May Date Back a Year or More'". The News & Observer. Raleigh. Archived from the original on September 11, 2010. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
17. Pickeral, Robbi (September 24, 2010). "Tutor Too Close to Athletes". The News & Observer. Raleigh. Archived from the original on September 25, 2010. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
18. "UNC Football Media Guide, 2012".
19. "LSU Tigers vs. North Carolina Tar Heels Box Score". ESPN. September 5, 2010. Archived from the original on September 7, 2010. Retrieved September 5, 2010.
20. "Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets vs. North Carolina Tar Heels Box Score". ESPN. September 18, 2010. Archived from the original on September 22, 2010. Retrieved October 17, 2010.
21. "North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Rutgers Scarlet Knights Box Score". ESPN. September 25, 2010. Archived from the original on September 29, 2010. Retrieved October 17, 2010.
22. "East Carolina Pirates vs. North Carolina Tar Heels Box Score". ESPN. October 2, 2010. Archived from the original on October 5, 2010. Retrieved October 17, 2010.
23. "Clemson Tigers vs. North Carolina Tar Heels Box Score". ESPN. October 9, 2010. Archived from the original on October 12, 2010. Retrieved October 17, 2010.
24. "North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Virginia Cavaliers Box Score". ESPN. October 16, 2010. Archived from the original on October 19, 2010. Retrieved October 17, 2010.
25. "North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Duke Blue Devils Box Score". ESPN. November 27, 2010. Archived from the original on December 3, 2010. Retrieved November 27, 2010.
26. Giglio, J. P. (April 1, 2011). "Tar Heels Back Together Again to Show Their Stuff". The News & Observer. Raleigh. Archived from the original on April 28, 2011. Retrieved April 20, 2011.