NORTH CAROLINA POSTGAME NOTES VS. JAMES MADISON, SEPT. 1, 2007

September 1, 2007 | Football

By: UNC Athletic Communications

Sept. 1, 2007

Recap | Box Score | Photo Gallery 1 | Photo Gallery 2

• Butch Davis became the first head coach to win his first regular season game at Carolina since Dick Crum beat East Carolina (14-10) in 1978. Carl Torbush won the 1997 Gator Bowl in his first game as head coach. Davis is 52-20 in seven seasons as a college head coach.

• North Carolina used 12 first-time starters Saturday against JMU: QB T.J. Yates, TB Johnny White, LT Kyle Jolly, LG Aaron Stahl, TE Richard Quinn, HB Zack Pianalto on offense; and DT Cam Thomas, DE E.J. Wilson, LB Wesley Flagg, CB Kendric Williams, S Deunta Williams and CB Kendric Burney on defense. Twenty-six (26) Tar Heels saw their first action at Carolina Saturday.

• UNC played seven true freshmen in Saturday's win: DT Marvin Austin, CB Charles Brown, LB Bruce Carter, WR Greg Little, HB Zack Pianalto, S Da'Norris Searcy and LB Quan Sturdivant.

• Carolina's 23-point margin of victory was its largest since a 40-17 win over Duke in 2004.

• The win over James Madison was the Tar Heels' first in a season opener since a 49-38 victory over William & Mary in 2004. Carolina had won just two openers since 1998 before tonight's game.

• Junior wide receiver Brooks Foster doubled his career touchdown total with a pair of scores Saturday against JMU. He had four catches for 87 yards, including TD receptions of 65 and eight yards in the first half.

• Redshirt freshman quarterback T.J. Yates' first career completion was a 65-yard touchdown strike to Brooks Foster on the Tar Heels' third play from scrimmage. He went 13-for-18 for 218 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.

• Redshirt freshman tailback Anthony Elzy recorded his first career touchdowns with scores in the first and third quarters. Elzy finished with 28 yards on 11 carries.

• Junior wide receiver Brandon Tate's 28-yard, first-quarter touchdown reception was the first of his career and his fifth career score. His other four touchdowns came on returns. Tate had two catches for 74 yards.

• Junior punter Terrence Brown averaged 50.2 yards on four punts in his first game as a Tar Heel. His first kick was 58 yards and his longest was his second kick, which went for 64 yards.

• Safely Trimane Goddard's fourth-quarter interception was the fourth of his career and first since 2005. He missed all of last year because of an injury.

• Freshman Bruce Carter's third-quarter blocked punt was the first for the Tar Heels since Wallace Wright blocked one at NC State in 2005. Sophomore Ryan Taylor recovered the block at the 1-yard line to set up Anthony Elzy's second touchdown run.

• Redshirt freshman safety Deunta Williams' interception on the first play of the second quarter was the first of his career.

• Senior kicker Connor Barth connected on his 12th consecutive field goal attempt in the second quarter. The streak dates to the end of the 2005 season. With 36 career field goals, Barth is now just one made field goal from tying Brooks Barwick for fourth on the UNC career list.

• Carolina's first two scoring drives took just 1:23 and 37 seconds, respectively. The 37-second drive was shorter than any in the 2006 season.

• UNC's 21 first quarter points were its most since it scored 21 in the first quarter against Furman in 2006. The Tar Heels out-gained JMU, 163-33, in the opening period.