1997 North Carolina Tar Heels football team

Last updated

1997 North Carolina Tar Heels football
Gator Bowl champion
Gator Bowl, W 42–3 vs. Virginia Tech
Conference Atlantic Coast Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 4
APNo. 6
Record11–1 (7–1 ACC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinator Greg Davis (2nd season)
Offensive scheme Multiple
Defensive coordinatorCarl Torbush (10th season)
Base defense 4–3
Captain Greg Ellis, Vonnie Holliday, Jonathan Linton, Jeff Saturday, Brian Simmons
Home stadium Kenan Memorial Stadium
Seasons
←  1996
1998  →
1997 Atlantic Coast Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
No. 3 Florida State $  8 –0   11 –1  
No. 6 North Carolina  7 –1   11 –1  
Virginia  5 –3   7 –4  
No. 25 Georgia Tech  5 –3   7 –5  
Clemson  4 –4   7 –5  
NC State  3 –5   6 –5  
Wake Forest  3 –5   5 –6  
Maryland  1 –7   2 –9  
Duke  0 –8   2 –9  
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1997 North Carolina Tar Heels football team represented the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill during the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Tar Heels played their home games at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and competed in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The team was coached by Mack Brown and finished the season 11–1 overall, 7–1 in the conference.

Contents

At the end of the season, Brown left for the University of Texas at Austin and did not coach in the Gator Bowl victory over Virginia Tech. Carl Torbush, who was the defensive coordinator during the regular season, became the head coach when Brown left. North Carolina credits the regular season to Brown and the Gator Bowl victory to Torbush.

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 612:00 p.m. Indiana *No. 7
 ESPN2 W 23–657,800 [1]
September 136:00 p.m.No. 17 Stanford *No. 7
  • Kenan Memorial Stadium
  • Chapel Hill, NC
ESPN2W 28–1757,800 [2]
September 2012:00 p.m.at Maryland No. 6
 JPS W 40–1430,084 [3]
September 2712:00 p.m. Virginia No. 5
 ABC W 48–2057,800 [4]
October 48:05 p.m.at TCU *No. 5
W 31–1029,415 [5]
October 1112:00 p.m. Wake Forest No. 5
  • Kenan Memorial Stadium
  • Chapel Hill, NC (rivalry)
JPSW 30–1257,000 [6]
October 186:00 p.m.at NC State No. 4
ESPN2W 20–751,500 [7]
October 308:00 p.m.at Georgia Tech No. 5
 ESPN W 16–1345,126 [8]
November 87:30 p.m.No. 3 Florida State No. 5
ESPNL 3–2062,000 [9]
November 153:30 p.m.at Clemson No. 8
ABCW 17–1071,514 [10]
November 2212:00 p.m. Duke No. 8
JPSW 50–1453,500 [11]
January 1, 199812:30 p.m.vs. Virginia Tech *No. 7
 NBC W 42–354,116 [12]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Eastern time

Roster

1997 North Carolina Tar Heels football team roster
PlayersCoaches
Offense
Pos.#NameClass
WR 4Ocatvus BarnesSr
QB 15Chris KeldorfSr
WR 18 Na Brown Jr
WR 23LC StevensJr
OT 77John SurigaoJr
RB 27 Jonathan Linton Sr
OT 51Mike BaxterSr
G 63Mike HobgoodSr
C 64 Jeff Saturday Sr
TE 86 Ebenezer Ekuban Jr
Defense
Pos.#NameClass
S 2 Omar Brown Sr
S 3Greg WilliamsSr
LB 9 Keith Newman Jr
CB 29Robert WilliamsJr
CB 31 Dré Bly Redshirt.svg  So
LB 41 Brian Simmons Sr
LB 53 Kivuusama Mays Sr
DT 84 Nate Hobgood-Chittick Sr
DT 85Chris Mintz Redshirt.svg  So
DE 87 Greg Ellis Sr
DT 90 Vonnie Holliday Sr
DE 91 Mike Pringley Jr
DE 96 Russell Davis Jr
Special teams
Pos.#NameClass
P 23Brian SchmitzSo
K 37Josh McGeeSo
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injury icon 2.svg Injured
  • Redshirt.svg Redshirt

Rankings

Ranking movements
Legend:██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
( ) = First-place votes
Week
PollPre12345678910111213141516Final
AP 7 (4)7 (4)7 (4)7 (2)6 (1)5 (2)5 (2)5 (2)4 (2)4 (2)5 (2)5 (2)888776
Coaches Poll 8 (1)8 (1)8 (1)8 (1)7 (1)5 (1)5 (1)5 (1)4 (1)4 (1)55986554

Game summaries

Vs. Virginia Tech (Gator Bowl)

North Carolina vs. Virginia Tech
(Gator Bowl)
1234Total
•No. 7 Tar Heels16661442
Hokies00303

[13]

Players in the 1998 NFL Draft

PlayerPositionRoundPickNFL clubRef
Greg Ellis DE18 Dallas Cowboys [14]
Brian Simmons LB117 Cincinnati Bengals [14]
Vonnie Holliday DE119 Green Bay Packers [14]
Omar Brown S4103 Atlanta Falcons [14]
Kivuusama Mays LB4110 Minnesota Vikings [14]
Robert Williams CB5128 Kansas City Chiefs [14]
Jonathan Linton FB5131 Buffalo Bills [14]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mack Brown</span> American football coach (born 1951)

William Mack Brown was an American college football coach, most recently for the University of North Carolina, where he previously coached from 1988 until 1997.

Carl William Torbush Jr. was an American American football and baseball coach. He served as the head football coach at Louisiana Tech University in 1987, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from 1997 to 2000, and East Tennessee State University (ETSU) from 2013 to 2017, compiling a career college football record of 31–48. Outside of football, Torbush was the head baseball coach at Southeastern Louisiana University from 1977 to 1979, tallying a mark of 75–58. Torbush retired from coaching in December 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Carolina Tar Heels football</span> College Football Bowl Subdivision team; member of Atlantic Coast Conference

The North Carolina Tar Heels football team represents the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the sport of American football or Gridiron Football. The Tar Heels play in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and are members of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

The 1998 Gator Bowl was a post-season American college football bowl game between the Virginia Tech Hokies from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and the North Carolina Tar Heels from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The 53rd edition of the Gator Bowl, it was played at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, on January 1, 1998. The game was the final contest of the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season for both teams, and ended in a 42–3 victory for North Carolina.

The 1979 North Carolina Tar Heels football team was an American football team that represented the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) during the 1979 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their second year under head coach Dick Crum, the Tar Heels complied an overall record of 8–3–1, with a conference record of 3–3, and finished fifth in the ACC.

The 1998 North Carolina Tar Heels football team represented the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill during the 1998 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Tar Heels played their home games at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and competed in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The team was led by head coach Carl Torbush.

The 1999 North Carolina Tar Heels football team represented the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill during the 1999 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Tar Heels played their home games at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and competed in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The team was led by head coach Carl Torbush.

The 1971 North Carolina Tar Heels football team represented the North Carolina Tar Heels of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill during the 1971 NCAA University Division football season. The Tar Heels were led by fifth-year head coach Bill Dooley and played their home games at Kenan Memorial Stadium. North Carolina won the Atlantic Coast Conference with a perfect conference record of 6–0. They were invited to the 1971 Gator Bowl, where they lost to Georgia.

The 1993 North Carolina Tar Heels football team represented the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill during the 1993 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Tar Heels played their home games at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and competed in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The team was led by head coach Mack Brown.

The 1992 North Carolina Tar Heels football team represented the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill during the 1992 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Tar Heels played their home games at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and competed in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The team was led by head coach Mack Brown.

The 1991 North Carolina Tar Heels football team represented the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill during the 1991 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Tar Heels played their home games at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and competed in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The team was led by head coach Mack Brown.

The 1989 North Carolina Tar Heels football team represented the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill during the 1989 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Tar Heels played their home games at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and competed in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The team was led by head coach Mack Brown.

The 1988 North Carolina Tar Heels football team represented the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill during the 1988 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Tar Heels played their home games at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and competed in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The team was led by head coach Mack Brown, in his first year at UNC.

The 1987 North Carolina Tar Heels football team represented the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill during the 1987 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Tar Heels were led by tenth-year head coach Dick Crum and played their home games at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. They competed as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference, finishing in sixth. Coach Dick Crum resigned at the end of the season, leaving as the school's all-time winningest coach.

The 1986 North Carolina Tar Heels football team represented the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill during the 1986 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Tar Heels were led by ninth-year head coach Dick Crum and played their home games at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. They competed as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference, finishing tied for second. North Carolina was invited to the 1986 Aloha Bowl, where they lost to Arizona.

The 1981 North Carolina Tar Heels football team represented the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill during the 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Tar Heels were led by fourth-year head coach Dick Crum and played their home games at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. They competed as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference, finishing in second.

The 1978 North Carolina Tar Heels football team represented the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill during the 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Tar Heels were led by first-year head coach Dick Crum and played their home games at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. They competed as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference, finishing in fourth.

The 1970 North Carolina Tar Heels football team represented the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill during the 1970 NCAA University Division football season. The Tar Heels were led by fourth-year head coach Bill Dooley and played their home games at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. They competed as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference, finishing in second.

The Atlantic Coast Conference North Carolina Tar Heels football team represented the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill during the 1969 NCAA University Division football season. The Tar Heels were led by third-year head coach Bill Dooley and played their home games at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. They competed as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference, finishing in third.

References

  1. ↑ "Indiana can't find end zone in loss". The Indianapolis Star. September 7, 1997. Retrieved July 26, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  2. ↑ "Cardinal streak snapped". Santa Cruz Sentinel. September 14, 1997. Retrieved July 26, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  3. ↑ "Tar Heels thump Terrapins". The Charlotte Observer. September 21, 1997. Retrieved July 26, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ "Reversal of fortune; UNC rallies for huge win over Cavs". The Chapel Hill News. September 28, 1997. Retrieved July 26, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ "TCU's rally falls short vs. Tar Heels". The Atlanta Journal. October 5, 1997. Retrieved July 26, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ "North Carolina has its flaws, but does enough to top Wake Forest". Press of Atlantic City. October 12, 1997. Retrieved July 26, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "Heels find another win". The Herald-Sun. October 19, 1997. Retrieved July 26, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ "Tar Heels nip Jackets". Winston-Salem Journal. October 31, 1997. Retrieved July 26, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ "FSU downs Heels". The Index-Journal. November 9, 1997. Retrieved July 26, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ "North Carolina deals Clemson near-fatal blow". Florence Morning News. November 16, 1997. Retrieved July 26, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "Heels make big bowl plea". The News and Observer. November 23, 1997. Retrieved July 26, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ "North Carolina makes statement in rout". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. January 2, 1998. Retrieved July 26, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  13. ↑ "In Gator, UNC Gives Hokies a 'Good Whuppin',' 42-3". The Washington Post . January 2, 1998. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "1998 NFL Draft". pro-football-reference.com .
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