| Year: | 2015 |
| Team: | North Carolina Tar Heels |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Atlantic Coast Conference |
| Division: | Coastal |
| Short Conf: | ACC |
| Coachrank: | 15 |
| Aprank: | 15 |
| Record: | 11–3 |
| Conf Record: | 8–0 |
| Head Coach: | Larry Fedora |
| Hc Year: | 4th |
| Off Coach: | Seth Littrell |
| Oc Year: | 2nd |
| Off Scheme: | Spread |
| Def Coach: | Gene Chizik |
| Dc Year: | 1st |
| Def Scheme: | 4–3 |
| Captain: | Marquise Williams, Landon Turner, Shakeel Rashad, Jeff Schoettmer, Mack Hollins |
| Stadium: | Kenan Memorial Stadium |
| Champion: | ACC Coastal Division champion |
| Conf Champ: | ACC Championship Game |
| Conf Champ Result: | L 37–45 vs. Clemson |
| Bowl: | Russell Athletic Bowl |
| Bowl Result: | L 38–49 vs. Baylor |
The 2015 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 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was led by fourth-year head coach Larry Fedora and played their home games at Kenan Memorial Stadium. North Carolina finished the season 11–3 overall and 8–0 in ACC play to win the ACC Coastal Division title. They represented the Coastal Division in the ACC Championship Game, where they lost to Atlantic Division champion Clemson. They were invited to the Russell Athletic Bowl, where they lost to Baylor.
National Signing Day was on February 4, 2015, and was the first chance for high school seniors to officially declare which university or college they will be attending for their college career. North Carolina had 19 high school seniors sign a National Letter of Intent to play football with them. Of the class, 10 athletes enrolled early to UNC.[1]
North Carolina head coach Larry Fedora entered his fourth year as the North Carolina's head coach for the 2015 season. After ranking as one of the worst defenses in the country in 2014, Fedora completely revamped the Tar Heel defensive coaching staff. Fedora hired Gene Chizik as the new defensive coordinator.[2] Chizik was most recently the head coach at Auburn, where he led the Tigers to a national championship in 2011. With the coaching change, UNC also switched from a 4-2-5 base defense to a 4–3 defense. Other defensive coaching hires include John Papuchis, former defensive coordinator at Nebraska, as linebackers coach, Tray Scott as defensive line coach, and Charlton Warren as defensive backs coach.[3]
| +Coaches for the 2015 season | Name | Position | Seasons at North Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|
| Larry Fedora | Head coach | 4th | |
| Gene Chizik | Defensive coordinator | 1st | |
| Gunter Brewer | Co-offensive coordinator/wide receivers | 4th (9th overall) | |
| Chris Kapilovic | Co-offensive coordinator/offensive line | 2nd (4th overall) | |
| Seth Littrell | Assistant head coach for offense/tight ends | 2nd | |
| Keith Heckendorf | Quarterbacks | 2nd | |
| John Papuchis | Linebackers coach | 1st | |
| Tray Scott | Defensive line coach | 1st | |
| Charlton Warren | Defensive backs coach | 1st | |
| Lou Hernandez | Strength and conditioning coordinator | 4th |
North Carolina is the only FBS team that played all of its 2015 regular-season games, both home and away, on grass fields.[5]
See also: 2015 South Carolina Gamecocks football team.
See also: 2015 Illinois Fighting Illini football team.
See also: 2015 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team.
See also: 2015 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team.
See also: 2015 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team and North Carolina–Wake Forest rivalry.
See also: 2015 Virginia Cavaliers football team and South's Oldest Rivalry.
See also: 2015 Pittsburgh Panthers football team.
See also: 2015 Duke Blue Devils football team and Victory Bell (Duke–North Carolina).
See also: 2015 Miami Hurricanes football team.
See also: 2015 Virginia Tech Hokies football team.
See also: 2015 NC State Wolfpack football team and North Carolina–NC State football rivalry.
See also: 2015 Clemson Tigers football team and 2015 ACC Championship Game.
See also: 2015 Baylor Bears football team and 2015 Russell Athletic Bowl.
First Team
• Elijah Hood – Running back
• Landon Turner - Guard
Second Team
• Marquise Williams - Quarterback
• Mack Hollins – Wide receiver
• Jon Heck – Offensive tackle
• Caleb Peterson - Guard
• M. J. Stewart - Cornerback
• Ryan Switzer - Specialist
Third Team
• Ryan Switzer – Wide receiver
• Quinshad Davis – Wide receiver
• Lucas Crowley - Center
• Nazair Jones - Defensive tackle
• Shakeel Rashad - Linebacker
• Des Lawrence - Cornerback
For the second year in a row, North Carolina did not have any players selected in the NFL draft.[7]
The following players signed as undrafted free agents:[8]
| Name | Position | Team | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit Lions | |||
| New York Jets | |||
| Shakeel Rashad | Houston Texans | ||
| Jeff Schoettmer | Linebacker | New Orleans Saints | |
| New Orleans Saints | |||
| Minnesota Vikings |