University of North Carolina Athletics
2008 Football Roster

James Cooter Arnold
- Position:
- Wide Receiver
- Height:
- 5-10
- Weight:
- 190
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Mocksville, NC
- High School:
- Davie County
Played several different positions at North Carolina, including tailback, defensive back and wide receiver.
2008 - Senior Season
Moved to wide receiver for senior season after playing tailback as a freshman and defensive back over the last two years • Also an outstanding special teams player • Has seven catches for 87 yards and a touchdown and has rushed for 19 yards on three carries • Had one reception for four yards against West Virginia in the Meineke Car Care Bowl • Caught two passes for 63 yards and a score at Maryland • Scored first career TD on a 59-yard reception from Cameron Sexton • Had a season-best 11-yard run against Georgia Tech • Rushed once for four yards against Boston College • Had two catches for 16 yards and a 4-yard rush at Virginia • Saw first significant action at receiver versus Notre Dame after Brandon Tate left with a knee injury • Made two catches for three yards against the Irish.
2007: Played in seven games, primarily on special teams • Finished the season with three tackles • Had one assist vs. Maryland and two solo stops at Georgia Tech.
2006 - Sophomore Season
Moved to safety in spring 2006 • Split time with senior D.J. Walker after Trimane Goddard was lost for the season • Also played on special teams • Played in all 12 games and started two (Furman & Miami) • Assisted on one tackle at Duke • Had one tackle against Notre Dame • Had four tackles, including three primary stops, against Wake Forest, playing most of the game in place of injured starter D.J. Walker • Posted two tackles against Virginia • Led the team with a career-high 12 tackles and forced a fumble against USF • Recorded six tackles and broke up a pass against Miami • Posted six tackles (three solo) and had one pass breakup against Clemson • Made his first career start on the defensive side of the ball at safety against Furman • Posted eight tackles, including six primary stops, and had one tackle for loss and one forced fumble against the Paladins • Saw extensive action against Virginia Tech and led the team with six tackles (all primary) and recovered a fumble.
2005 - Freshman Season
One of seven true freshmen to see action • Played in all 12 games and started the season opener at tailback • Rushed four times for 10 yards, including a long of five, at Miami • Had team highs of 11 carries and 64 yards at Louisville • Averaged 3.5 yards per carry in Carolina's 31-17 victory over Utah • Had eight carries for 28 yards, including a long of 12, and caught a 15-yard pass against the Utes • Carried nine times for 39 yards, including a season-best 15-yard run in the win over NC State • Had a 15-yard reception on a screen pass against NC State • The reception came on 2nd and 22, Carolina then converted the third down and later scored a field goal • Did not start against Wisconsin, but had seven carries for 18 yards, including a long of 13 • Also caught one pass for one yard against the Badgers • Just the second freshman to start the first game of the season since Charlie Justice in 1946 (Brandon Russell in 2000 was the other) • Rushed for 28 yards on nine carries in the season opener vs. Georgia Tech.
Davie High School
Student Sports Magazine All-America • Member of North Carolina's Shrine Bowl Team • Named first-team all-state by the Associated Press at both tailback and defensive back • Only player to be on both offensive and defensive all-state team • Earned league offensive Player of the Year honors in 2003 and 2004 • Three-time all-conference • Ranked the No. 17 player in North Carolina by The Charlotte Observer • Played quarterback, running back, punter and defensive back in high school • Finished his high school career with 5,172 yards and 67 touchdowns, both school records • As a senior, he gained 2,316 yards on the ground and scored 30 touchdowns • Picked off 10 passes, returning two for game-winning touchdowns as a senior • Had nine interceptions, including two for touchdowns as a junior • Selected to the Winston-Salem Journal's All-Northwest Team as a running back as a junior • Rushed for 1,778 yards and 25 touchdowns as a junior • Was the 2003 offensive player of the year in the Central Piedmont 4-A.
Personal
First name is James, but goes by "Cooter", a nickname given to him by his mother • Coached by Doug Illing • Son of James and Sonya Arnold • Born January 11, 1987 • Sociology major.
Rushing Receiving Year No. Yards Avg. TD LP No. Yards Avg. TD LP 2005 48 187 3.9 0 15 4 29 7.2 0 15 2008 3 19 4.0 0 4 7 87 13.8 1 59 Totals 51 206 4.0 0 15 11 116 10.5 1 59
Tackles Year Pri A Total TFL SACKS INT PBU FF FR 2006 29 19 48 1.0-2 0-0 0 2 2 1 2007 2 1 3 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 Totals 31 20 51 1.0-2 0-0 0 2 2 1