University of North Carolina Athletics
T.J. Yates Named Starting Quarterback For James Madison Game
August 16, 2007 | Football
Aug. 16, 2007
Butch Davis press conference video
John Shoop press conference video
TJ Yates press conference video
Chapel Hill, N.C. ----- Redshirt freshman T.J. Yates has been named North Carolina's starting quarterback for its season opener against James Madison on Sept. 1, head coach Butch Davis announced on Thursday.
"Obviously the biggest news of the day is the announcement that T.J. Yates is going to be the starting quarterback for the James Madison game," said Davis following Carolina's afternoon practice. "One of the things certainly that goes into the decision making process is that it is a body of work and at this particular time right now we felt like taking into consideration spring practice, taking into consideration summer preparation, training camp all those kinds of things at this stage right now T.J. deserves the opportunity to be the starter. As I told the other three quarterbacks I would be extraordinarily disappointed if all three of them don't accept that as a challenge."
A 6-3, 205-pound native of Marietta, Ga., Yates emerged from a quartet of players that included sophomore Cameron Sexton, true freshman Mike Paulus and senior walk-on Ben Johnson.
Yates started UNC's Spring Game last April and was 10 of 15 for 163 yards and threw three touchdown passes. He redshirted in 2006 and played just two years of high school football as a sophomore and senior at Pope High School. He did not play his junior year in high school while concentrating on basketball.
"All of the quarterbacks competed hard and they'll continue to compete," said offensive coordinator John Shoop. "Throughout the spring and throughout training camp, T.J.'s gotten better every single practice and that's been encouraging. He really understands what we're asking the quarterback to do."
North Carolina opens the 2007 season on Sept. 1 at 6 p.m. against James Madison at Kenan Stadium.
Yates will become the fourth different quarterback in as many years to start the season opener for UNC (Darian Durant in 2004, Matt Baker in 2005, Joe Dailey in 2006).
