2010 Football Roster

T.J. Yates
- Position:
- Quarterback
- Height:
- 6-4
- Weight:
- 220
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Marietta, GA
- High School:
- Pope
• 2010 Honorable-Mention All-ACC
• Owns 37 Carolina records, including career and single-season passing yards
• Earned UNC Coaches' Player of the Week honors after wins over Rutgers, Virginia, Florida State and Duke in 2010
• Earned UNC Coaches' Player of the Week honors after the win over East Carolina in 2009
Started 44 games, including 29 consecutive to close out his career • Throws a catchable ball and worked hard to improve his accuracy • Was not a highly recruited quarterback, but drew interest from Carolina's coaches who were in Georgia in 2006 to watch a player on the opposing team • Yates had a great game and was offered a scholarship, which he accepted before coming to campus for an official visit • Also turned down several basketball scholarship offers to play football in Chapel Hill.
2010 - Senior Season
Four-year starting quarterback who has had his best year as a senior • One of the most prolific quarterbacks in school history • Holds every school record for pass completions and yards (single-game, single-season and career) as well as the school record for career pass attempts • Also the most accurate passer in school history and the only Tar Heel quarterback to throw for 400 yards in three different games • Became the first Carolina quarterback to throw for 3,000 yards and set the school single-season total offense record • Completed 23 of 39 attempts for 234 yards, one touchdown and one interception in Carolina's 30-27 double-overtime victory over Tennessee in the Music City Bowl • Scrambled and found Erik Highsmith on a 39-yard reception in the second quarter to give UNC a 17-14 lead • Also scored a 1-yard rushing touchdown in the first overtime • Completed 14 of his first 16 attempts in the 24-19 win at Duke and finished 28 of 35 for 264 yards and a touchdown • Finished 33 of 44 for 411 yards and two touchdowns against NC State, his sixth 300-plus yard game of the season and his third 400-plus yard game • His 33 completions were a school single-game record and his 411 yards were the most by a Tar Heel in Kenan Stadium • Passed both the single-season and career marks for passing yards against the Wolfpack • Finished 18 for 33 for 197 yards but was intercepted a career-high tying four times against Virginia Tech • Completed 24 of 35 passes for a school-record 439 yards and three touchdowns in the win at Florida State • Had touchdown passes of 67, 14 and 4 yards against the Seminoles and engineered a game-winning field goal drive in the final minutes of the game • Finished 23 of 33 for 238 yards, one passing touchdown and a rushing touchdown against William & Mary • His 1-yard touchdown run against the Tribe was the sixth rushing TD of his career and his second of the season • Was 12 of 21 for 140 yards and two interceptions against Miami • Completed 17 of 22 passes for 325 yards and three touchdowns in the win at Virginia • Hit Dwight Jones for an 81-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage, the earliest UNC had scored in a game since Wallace Wright returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown against Boston College in 2005 • Also had a 20-yard TD pass to Jones and a 1-yarder to Zack Pianalto • Completed 18 of 34 passes for 164 yards and a 9-yard touchdown to Jheranie Boyd in the win over Clemson • Finished 18 of 26 for 181 yards and two touchdowns in the win over East Carolina • Hit Boyd for a 25-yarder in the first quarter and Jones for a 13-yarder in the third • Completed 22 of 30 passes for 204 yards and a touchdown in the win at Rutgers • Also threw his first interception of the season against the Scarlet Knights, ending a career-long streak of 117 passes without a pick • Finished 18 of 24 for 209 yards, one passing touchdown and one rushing score against Georgia Tech • His 1-yard TD plunge was his first since the 2009 Florida State game • Hit Erik Highsmith for a 52-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter, the longest catch of Highsmith's career • Had the first 400-yard game of his career in the season opener, finishing 28 of 46 for 412 yards and three touchdowns against LSU • Rallied the Tar Heels from 20 down to within six in the final moments of the game • Connected with Boyd on a 97-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter, the longest play from scrimmage in UNC history • Added a 14-yard touchdown pass to Highsmith later in the quarter.
2009 - Junior Season
Third year as the Tar Heels' starting quarterback • Ranks among Carolina's career top two in passing yards (5,959), touchdowns (39), completions (513), attempts (855) and completion percentage (60.0) • Finished the season with 2,136 yards and 14 touchdowns on 214-for-355 passing • The 2,136 yards ranks eighth all-time on UNC's single-season list • Completed 19 of 32 attempts vs. Pitt in the Meineke Car Care Bowl with two touchdowns and one interception • Connected with Greg Little on scoring passes of 15 yards in the first quarter and 14 yards in the third quarter • Threw for a season-best 280 yards and two touchdowns on 13 of 19 passing at NC State • Both TD passes (35, 70 yards) versus the Wolfpack went to Jheranie Boyd • The 70-yarder was the Tar Heels' longest passing play of the season • Matched a season high by completing 23 of 34 passes for 182 yards and three interceptions at Boston College • Posted biggest passing day since the East Carolina win with 213 yards on 17-for-31 passing against Miami • Had a 29-yard TD strike to Greg Little and did not throw an interception against the Hurricanes • Went 16-for-28 for 119 yards in the win over Duke • Became just the second Tar Heel to surpass 5,000 career passing yards in the win over the Blue Devils • Threw for two touchdowns for the first time since the East Carolina win and was 18-for-28 for 131 yards passing in the win at Virginia Tech • Connected on TD passes of 13 yards to Jheranie Boyd and 15 yards to Greg Little versus the Hokies • Scored through the air and on the ground versus Florida State • Went 12-for-25 for 64 yards versus Florida State • Recorded fourth career rushing TD run with a 10-yard run in the third quarter and added a 13-yard passing score to Ed Barham in the first quarter against the Seminoles • Was an efficient 14-for-20 for 118 yards and no interceptions against Georgia Southern • Went 20-for-36 for 135 yards and two interceptions against Virginia • Was 11-for-26 for 137 yards and a 40-yard touchdown at Georgia Tech • Went 19-for-24 for 227 yards and two scores against East Carolina • The 79.2 completion percentage marked a career best • Threw TD passes of 16 yards (to Erik Highsmith) and 59 yards (to Jheranie Boyd) against the Pirates • Became just the fifth Tar Heel to pass for 4,000 career yards with 233 yards at Connecticut • Was 23-for-32 with a touchdown and two interceptions against the Huskies • The 233 yards marked his most passing yards since the 2007 Georgia Tech game • Engineered two lengthy fourth-quarter scoring drives to tie the game in the fourth quarter • Went 9-for-20 for 114 yards with two touchdowns versus The Citadel • Tossed TD passes of 18 yards (to Johnny White) and 21 yards (to Greg Little) against the Bulldogs.
2008: Played in seven games and started six • Suffered a non-displaced fracture to his left ankle against Virginia Tech and missed the next five games • Returned to the starting line-up against NC State and started the final regular season game at Duke and the bowl game vs. West Virginia • Passed for 1,168 yards and 11 touchdowns to just four interceptions on the season • Completed 60 percent (81-135) of his passes • In just 19 career games, ranks sixth in career passing yards (3,823) and tied for seventh in career touchdown passes (25) at Carolina • Was leading the ACC and 12th nationally in passing efficiency through three games • Completed 15 of 25 attempts for 211 yards, two touchdowns and one interception against West Virginia in the Meineke Car Care Bowl • Both touchdowns (73 yards and 25 yards) were to Hakeem Nicks • Matched a career-best with three touchdowns on 15-for-19 passing in the win at Duke • Threw for 190 yards in the victory over the Blue Devils • Touchdowns went to Shaun Draughn, Hakeem Nicks and Richard Quinn • Went 10-for-22 for 116 yards and an interception against NC State • Saw first action since Sept. 20 on the final series of the win over No. 20 Georgia Tech • Completed one of three passes for 28 yards against the Yellow Jackets • Hooked up with Hakeem Nicks on a 28-yard completion to give Nicks the UNC career receiving yardage mark • Before leaving with an ankle injury, was 11-for-18 with 181 yards and a TD against Virginia Tech • Went 14-for-22 for 221 yards and three scores at Rutgers • Long play against the Scarlet Knights was a 69-yard TD pass to Brandon Tate • Was 10-for13 over the final three quarters at Rutgers • Passed for 221 yards on 15-for-26 passing against McNeese State • Had a pair of TD passes and one interception against the Cowboys • Long play in the opener was a 71-yarder to Hakeem Nicks.
2007: Passed for a UNC single-season record 2,655 yards and 14 touchdowns • Completed 218 of 365 passes for a 59.7 completion percentage • Finished third in the ACC with 221.2 passing yards per game and eighth with a 123.62 efficiency rating • Ranks fourth all-time among ACC rookie quarterbacks in passing yardage • Also rushed for two scores • Surpassed Darian Durant to set UNC freshman records for completions and passing yards against Wake Forest • Ranked second among UNC?rookies behind Darian Durant with 14 TDs passing • Set UNC freshman records for passing yards, completions and attempts • Has two of the top-10 passing yardage games in school history (ECU, UVA) • Joins Durant and Chris Keldorf as the only Tar Heel quarterbacks with two of the top 10 yardage games in school history • Three-game totals of 901 passing yards and nine touchdowns were tops in UNC history • Went 11 for 24 for 75 yards and a touchdown (9 yards to Brandon Tate) in the win over Duke • Passed for 283 yards and went 21 for 35 with a touchdown (14 yards to Hakeem Nicks) and no interceptions at Georgia Tech • Went 22 for 42 for 241 yards and two interceptions at NC?State • Threw for 149 yards and a touchdown (30 yards to Hakeem Nicks)?in the win over Maryland • Completed 26 of 33 passes for 236 yards and a touchdown at Wake Forest • TD came on an 11-yard pass to Bobby Rome • Passed for 285 yards on a 22 of 42 effort against South?Carolina • Threw for one score (18 yards to Greg Little) and ran for another (3-yard keeper) against the Gamecocks • Went 15 for 23 for 208 yards and no interceptions in the win over Miami • Also scored his first career rushing TD on a 1-yard keeper • Threw for 182 yards on 16 of 25 passing at Virginia Tech • Was 11 for 27 for a career-low 85 yards with a career-high four interceptions at USF • Went 25 for 38 for 339 yards and three scores against Virginia en route to ACC?Rookie of the Week honors • The 339 yards marked the ninth-best single-game total in school history • Threw TDs of 2 (Quinn), 4 (Nicks) and 53 yards (Nicks) against the Cavaliers • Threw for a career-high 344 yards versus East Carolina, completing 20 of 32 passes with three touchdowns • Ranked as the first 300-yard passing game for a Tar Heel since Matt Baker had 335 yards against Maryland in 2005 • The 344 passing yards is the seventh-highest single-game total in school history and the second-highest by a freshman (behind Darian Durant's 361 vs. Wake Forest in 2001) • Threw TDs of 37 (Nicks), 39 (Tate) and 51 yards (Tate) against the Pirates • Completed 13 of 18 (.722) for 218 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, in Carolina's 37-14 victory over James Madison • Tossed a 65-yard touchdown pass on the first pass of his college career to Brooks Foster • Also threw touchdown passes of 28 yards (Tate) and eight (Foster) yards • Honored as ACC?Rookie of the Week for his showing against the Dukes • Redshirted in 2006.
Pope High School
Completed 160 of 289 passes (57 percent) for 2,305 yards and 17 touchdowns as a senior, his only year on the football team • Also rushed for 292 yards and seven scores • Also punted 34 times for 1,237 yards (36.8 avg.) with a long of 68 • Named first-team all-region and the Cobb County Touchdown Club Offensive Player of the Year • Earned Atlanta Metro First-Team All-Area honors • Ranked the No. 60 player in Georgia by SuperPrep • Coached by Bob Swank • Also played basketball and averaged 18 points, six rebounds and six assists at small forward.
Personal
Son of Carol and John Yates • Born Taylor Jonathan Yates on May 28, 1987 • Communications major • Most recently read "Call of the Wild" by Jack London • Favorite TV show is "House" • Likes to play golf on his off days • Favorite website is YouTube.com • Favorite NFL team is the Indianapolis Colts • Would most like to appear in "The Amazing Race" and would run it with teammate Ryan Taylor • Has a tattoo of "Y+III," which both his brothers also have • Favorite cartoon character is Foghorn Leghorn • Started playing football at the age of 4 • Followed the Indianapolis Colts as a kid because he grew up in Indianapolis • Favorite restaurant in Chapel Hill is Sutton's Drugstore.
Year A-C-I Pct. Eff. Yards TD LP Yds/Gm 2007 365-218-18 59.7 123.6 2,655 14 65 221.2 2008 135-81-4 60.0 153.6 1,168 11 73 166.9 2009 355-214-15 60.3 115.4 2,136 14 70 164.3 2010 422-282-9 66.8 145.5 3,418 19 97 262.9 Totals 1,277-795-46 62.3 131.7 9,377 58 97 208.4
2007 Game-by-Game Statistics Game Start C-A-I Pct. Yards TD LP James Madison Yes 13-18-1 .722 218 3 65 at East CarolinaYes 20-32-1 .625 344 3 53 Virginia Yes 25-38-1 .658 339 3 53 at South FloridaYes 11-17-4 .647 83 0 20 at Virginia TechYes 16-25-1 .640 182 0 20 Miami Yes 15-23-0 .652 218 0 49 South Carolina Yes 22-42-2 .524 285 1 33 at Wake Forest Yes 26-33-2 .788 236 1 19 Maryland Yes 16-26-2 .615 149 1 30 at NC State Yes 22-42-2 .524 241 0 38 at Georgia Tech Yes 21-35-0 .600 283 1 36 Duke Yes 11-24-2 .458 75 1 14 Totals 12-12 218-365-18 .597 2,655 14 65
2008 Game-by-Game Statistics Game Start C-A-I Pct. Yards TD LP McNeese State Yes 15-26-1 .577 221 2 71 at Rutgers Yes 14-22-0 .636 221 3 69 Virginia Tech Yes 11-18-0 .611 181 1 32 Georgia Tech No 1-3-0 .333 28 0 28 NC State Yes 10-22-1 .455 116 0 27 at Duke Yes 15-19-1 .789 190 3 32 vs. West VirginiaYes 15-25-1 .600 211 2 73 Totals 7-6 81-135-4 .600 1,168 11 73
2009 Game-by-Game Statistics Game Start C-A-I Pct. Yards TD LP The Citadel Yes 9-20-1 .450 114 2 25 at Connecticut Yes 23-32-2 .719 233 1 26 East Carolina Yes 19-24-0 .792 227 2 59 at Georgia Tech Yes 11-26-2 .423 137 1 40 Virginia Yes 20-36-2 .556 135 0 23 Georgia SouthernYes 14-20-0 .700 118 0 24 Florida State Yes 12-25-1 .480 64 1 13 at Virginia TechYes 18-28-1 .643 131 2 19 Duke Yes 16-28-1 .571 119 0 16 Miami Yes 17-31-0 .548 217 1 29 at Boston CollegeYes 23-34-3 .676 182 0 22 at NC State Yes 13-19-1 .684 280 2 70 vs. Pittsburgh Yes 19-32-1 .594 183 2 20 Totals 13-13 214-355-15 .603 2,136 14 70
2010 Game-by-Game Statistics Game Start C-A-I Pct. Yards TD LP vs. LSU Yes 28-46-0 .609 412 3 97 Georgia Tech Yes 18-24-0 .750 209 1 52 at Rutgers Yes 22-30-1 .733 204 1 28 East Carolina Yes 18-26-0 .692 181 2 32 Clemson Yes 18-34-0 .529 164 1 51 at Virginia Yes 17-22-0 .773 325 3 81 at Miami Yes 12-21-2 .571 140 0 34 William & Mary Yes 23-33-1 .697 238 1 26 at Florida StateYes 24-35-0 .686 439 3 67 Virginia Tech Yes 18-33-4 .545 197 0 28 NC State Yes 33-44-0 .750 411 2 52 at Duke Yes 28-35-0 .800 264 1 40 vs. Tennessee Yes 23-39-1 .590 234 1 39 Totals 13-13 282-422-8 .668 3,418 19 97
Career Highs:?439 yards at Florida State (2010); 33 completions vs. NC State (2010); 44 attempts vs. NC State (2010); 3 TDs eight times, most recently at Florida State (2010); 4 interceptions at USF?(2007)