Division Coastal Offensive coordinator John Shoop | Head coach Butch Davis Offensive scheme Pro-style | |
 | ||
Conference Atlantic Coast Conference 2009 record 0–5, 8 wins vacated (0–4 ACC, 4 wins vacated) | ||
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.
Contents
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:
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:
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.