University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina Postgame Notes vs. East Carolina, Sept. 19, 2009
September 19, 2009 | Football
Sept. 19, 2009
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• North Carolina improves to 3-0 for the first time since 1997. The Tar Heels finished 11-1 and were ranked No. 4 in the final Associated Press Top 25.
• The Tar Heels are now 9-2-1 against the Pirates.
• Carolina has held its three opponents this season to six (Citadel), 10 (Connecticut) and 17 (East Carolina) points. The last time UNC held three consecutive opponents to 20 or fewer points was 2000 vs. Virginia, Pittsburgh, Maryland.
• The 33 points allowed by the Tar Heels are the fewest in any three-game span since the final two games in 1999 and the first game of 2000. In 1999, Carolina held NC State to six points and shutout Duke. Tulsa scored nine points against UNC in the 2000 opener.
• The Tar Heels limited ECU to 55 yards rushing and have held all three opponents to under 100 yards on the ground. In the first three games, the Tar Heels have held the opponents to just 1.8 yards per carry.
• Junior quarterback T.J. Yates went 19-for-24 for 227 yards and two touchdowns. Yates has completed 29-for-36 over the past five quarters after completing 10-for-12 in the fourth quarter last week at Connecticut. Yates has thrown for 30 career touchdowns, tying Scott Stankavage for the fourth-most in school history.
• Yates completed a career-high 79.2 percent of his passes today. His previous high for a single game was last year at Duke when he completed 15 of 19 for 78.9 percent.
• Yates had 19 completions and moved past Ronald Curry into third place in UNC career completions with 350. He also moved into fourth place (past Matt Kupec and Mike Thomas) in career attempts with 576. Yates also passed Thomas for fourth place on Carolina's career passing yardage list with 4,397 yards.
• Sophomore defensive end Robert Quinn recorded a career-best two sacks. He entered Saturday with one sack on the season and three for his career.
• True freshman wide receiver Erik Highsmith made his first career start Saturday against the Pirates and responded with his first touchdown reception, a 16-yard pass from T.J. Yates in the first quarter. Highsmith finished with a season-high six catches for 113 yards and the score. Highsmith became the first true freshman to post a 100-yard receiving game since Hakeem Nicks did it three times in 2006. It was the first 100-yard receiving game by a Tar Heel this season.
• True freshman wide receiver Jheranie Boyd scored on his first collegiate reception on a 59-yard pass from T.J. Yates in the second quarter. The pass marked the longest play from scrimmage of the season for the Tar Heels. It was the first time a Tar Heel made his first career catch for a score since Richard Quinn did it against Virginia in 2007.
• Junior tailback Ryan Houston scored two touchdowns, giving him 13 for his career. He had a 1-yard run in the second quarter (his fifth of just one yard on his career) and added a 5-yard scoring run in the fourth quarter, which tied longest career touchdown run.
• Wide receiver Joshua Adams became the third true freshman with a career-best reception today when he made a 23-yard reception in the second quarter.
• True freshman A.J. Blue completed his first career pass with a 24-yard strike to Erik Highsmith in the second quarter, and junior tailback Shaun Draughn followed with a 34-yard pass to Greg Little on his first career pass attempt. Three Tar Heels completed passes on the game.
• Defensive tackle Cam Thomas blocked his first career field goal on a third-quarter attempt by Ben Hartman. It was Carolina's first blocked field goal since Bruce Carter at Virginia last season, and Thomas's block was the first field goal attempt blocked on an East Carolina attempt under head coach Skip Holtz.
• Junior cornerback Charles Brown recovered a fumble in the second quarter for his fourth turnover this season (two interceptions, two fumble recoveries). Brown had an interception and forced and recovered a fumble last week at Connecticut.
• East Carolina's 77-yard scoring drive in the second quarter was the longest allowed by the Tar Heels this season. Carolina's defense allowed multiple touchdowns for the first time this season.
Players Mentioned
