| Year: | 2007 |
| Team: | North Carolina Tar Heels |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Atlantic Coast Conference |
| Division: | Coastal |
| Short Conf: | ACC |
| Record: | 4–8 |
| Conf Record: | 3–5 |
| Head Coach: | Butch Davis |
| Hc Year: | 1st |
| Off Coach: | John Shoop |
| Oc Year: | 1st |
| Off Scheme: | Pro-style |
| Def Coach: | Chuck Pagano |
| Dc Year: | 1st |
| Def Scheme: | 4–3 |
| Captain: | Kentwan Balmer, Connor Barth, Scott Lenahan, Garrett Reynolds, Hilee Taylor |
| Stadium: | Kenan Memorial Stadium |
The 2007 North Carolina Tar Heels football team represented the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a member of Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) during the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by first-year head coach Butch Davis, the Tar Heels played their home games at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. North Carolina finished the season 4–8 overall and 3–5 in ACC play to place fourth in the Coastal Division.
Immediately after Bunting's firing on October 22, 2006 there was much speculation over who North Carolina would name their new football coach. Rumors immediately started to circulate that former head coach of the Cleveland Browns and the Miami Hurricanes, Butch Davis, was interested in the position."[1] Athletic director Dick Baddour confirmed the accuracy of the rumors when he announced on November 13, 2006, that Butch Davis had agreed to become the new head football coach."[2] Soon after his hiring, Butch Davis began to assemble his coaching staff. He was able to lure offensive coordinator John Shoop and defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano from the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League (NFL), and defensive line coach John Blake from Nebraska. Blake is regarded by many to be one of the best recruiters in all of college football."[3]
As of March 2007 many publications began releasing preseason rankings for the upcoming football season. Although UNC still ranked in the lower tier of the Atlantic Coast Conference, many publications were impressed with the Tar Heels' hiring of Butch Davis and their top ranked recruiting class."[4]
The Tar Heels received 20 letters of intent on National Signing Day, February 7, 2007. Three student athletes had already enrolled before National Signing Day making this class relatively large with 23 commitments.
| Name | Position[5] | Seasons in Position |
|---|---|---|
| Butch Davis | Head coach | 1st |
| John Blake | Associate head coach / recruiting coordinator / defensive line | 1st |
| Ken Browning | Running backs | 14th |
| Jeff Connors | Strength and conditioning coordinator | 7th |
| Steve Hagen | Tight Ends | 1st |
| John Lovett | Special teams coordinator / Defensive Assistant | 1st |
| Chuck Pagano | Defensive coordinator / defensive backs | 1st |
| Sam Pittman | Offensive Line | 1st |
| John Shoop | Offensive coordinator / quarterbacks | 1st |
| Tommy Thigpen | Linebackers | 3rd |
| Charlie Williams | Wide Receivers | 1st |
| Rushing Leaders | Car | Yds | Long | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnny White | 95 | 399 | 39 | 0 |
| Anthony Elzy | 92 | 321 | 39 | 5 |
| Greg Little | 59 | 300 | 38 | 2 |
| Ryan Houston | 44 | 145 | 10 | 1 |
| Brandon Tate | 12 | 131 | 54 | 1 |
| Receiving Leaders | Rec | Yds | Long | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hakeem Nicks | 74 | 958 | 53 | 5 |
| Brandon Tate | 25 | 479 | 51 | 5 |
| Brooks Foster | 29 | 417 | 65 | 2 |