| Year: | 2022 |
| Team: | North Carolina Tar Heels |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Atlantic Coast Conference |
| Division: | Coastal Division |
| Short Conf: | ACC |
| Record: | 9–5 |
| Conf Record: | 6–2 |
| Head Coach: | Mack Brown |
| Hc Year: | 14th |
| Off Coach: | Phil Longo |
| Oc Year: | 4th |
| Off Scheme: | Air raid |
| Def Coach: | Gene Chizik |
| Dc Year: | 3rd |
| Codef Coach1: | Charlton Warren |
| Codc1 Year: | 3rd |
| Codef Coach2: | Tommy Thigpen |
| Codc2 Year: | 10th |
| Def Scheme: | 4–2–5 or 4–3 |
| Stadium: | Kenan Memorial Stadium |
| Champion: | ACC Coastal Division champion |
| Conf Champ: | ACC Championship |
| Conf Champ Result: | L 10–39 vs. Clemson |
| Bowl: | Holiday Bowl |
| Bowl Result: | L 27–28 vs. Oregon |
The 2022 North Carolina Tar Heels football team represented the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a member of the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) for the 2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tar Heels were led by head coach Mack Brown, who was in the fourth season of his second stint at North Carolina and 14th overall season at the university. The team played their home games at Kenan Memorial Stadium.
Immediately following the bowl-game loss to South Carolina, head coach Mack Brown stated that changes needed to be made. Speculation then began as to what those changes would be, with suggestions including the possibility of certain coaches being let go. The changes began to crystalize when, on January 7, 2022, co-defensive coordinator/safeties coach Jay Bateman and special teams coordinator/outside linebackers coach Jovan Dewitt were let go.[1] [2]
The following day, the school announced the hires of Gene Chizik and Charlton Warren to fill the vacant positions on social media. Chizik was named assistant head coach for defense, and Warren co-defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach. Both Chizik and Warren were on staff in Chapel Hill under former head coach Larry Fedora during the 2015 and 2016 seasons, and were instrumental in turning around a defense that had struggled mightily in the 2014 season, leading to a combined 19 wins during their first stints in Chapel Hill.[3]
Running backs coach Larry Porter, who served as assistant STC in 2021, was elevated to special teams coordinator following Dewitt's departure, while continuing his responsibilities with the running back position.
On February 28, 2022, a day before the beginning of the Tar Heels' spring practice, offensive line coach Stacy Searels left the team to take the same position with Georgia.[4]
The next day, as spring practice kicked off, it was reported by The Athletic's Bruce Feldman and other sources that the Tar Heels were targeting Louisville OL coach Jack Bicknell Jr. for the vacant position, though nothing official was announced by either school.[5] Carolina officially announced Bicknell's hiring on March 3, 2022.[6] Bicknell and offensive coordinator Phil Longo had previously worked together when they were at Ole Miss.
Tar Heel football alumnus and NFL safety Da'Norris Searcy returned to the program in the spring, joining the staff as the director of football student athlete development.[7]
Prior to fall camp getting started, Frank Wilson was added to the staff as senior special teams analyst.[8]
The following Tar Heels were selected in the 2022 NFL Draft. The Tar Heels' four 2022 selections tied for the most draft picks in the ACC.
| 3 | 67 | OL | New York Giants | ||
| 5 | 144 | QB | Washington Commanders | ||
| 5 | 169 | RB | Minnesota Vikings | ||
| 5 | 175 | OL | New York Giants |
The following players went unselected in the 2022 NFL Draft, and signed UDFA rookie contracts with NFL teams.
Fifteen members of the 2021 team elected to enter the NCAA transfer portal prior to the 2022 season.
| Name | No. | Pos. | Height | Weight | Hometown | Year | New school | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | LB | 6'1" | 220 | Junior | Auburn | |||
| Khafre Brown | 1 | WR | 6'0" | 190 | Sophomore | South Florida | ||
| Beau Corrales | 15 | WR | 6'3" | 210 | Graduate† | SMU | ||
| Kamarro Edmonds | 33 | RB | 5'11" | 235 | Freshman | East Carolina | ||
| Stephen Gosnell | 12 | WR | 6'1" | 205 | Sophomore | Virginia Tech | ||
| Josh Henderson | 23 | RB | 5'11" | 215 | Junior | Indiana | ||
| Tyrone Hopper | 42 | LB | 6'4" | 245 | Graduate† | Missouri | ||
| Teagen Lenderink | 96 | PK | 6'1" | 175 | Freshman‡ | Liberty | ||
| Trey Morrison | 4 | DB | 5'9" | 190 | Graduate† | Oklahoma | ||
| Alex Nobles | 97 | LB | 6'2" | 250 | Senior‡ | FIU | ||
| Clyde Pinder | 55 | DL | 6'0" | 300 | Sophomore | South Florida | ||
| Cameron Roseman-Sinclair | 3 | DB | 5'11" | 180 | Charlotte, NC | Sophomore | TBD | |
| Emery Simmons | 0 | WR | 6'1" | 195 | Junior | Indiana | ||
| Trevion Stevenson | 26 | LB | 6'4" | 240 | Freshman | Norfolk State | ||
| Kristian Varner | 93 | DL | 6'6" | 300 | Sophomore | Georgia Southern |
Three players left the team for personal reasons.
| Name | No. | Pos. | Height | Weight | Hometown | Year | Reason for departure | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wisdom Asaboro | 77 | OL | 6'8" | 332 | Junior | Medical Retirement | ||
| Quiron Johnson | 69 | OL | 6'2" | 313 | Graduate | Forgoing remaining eligibility | ||
| Ethan West | 19 | LB | 6'3" | 245 | Sophomore | Medical Retirement |
| Name | No. | Pos. | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown | Prev. school | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lejond Cavazos | 6 | DB | 6'0" | 195 | Sophomore | Ohio State | ||
| Jacolbe Cowan | 93 | DL | 6'4" | 275 | Sophomore | Ohio State | ||
| Corey Gaynor | 65 | OL | 6'4" | 308 | Graduate | Miami (FL) | ||
| Spencer Rolland | 75 | OL | 6'6" | 285 | Graduate | Harvard | ||
| Noah Taylor | 7 | OLB | 6'5" | 235 | Graduate | Virginia |
See main article: 2022 college football recruiting class. North Carolina signed 17 players in the class of 2022. The Tar Heels' class finished 10th in both the 247Sports and Rivals rankings. Nine signees were ranked in the final ESPN 300 top prospect list.
2022 ACC Football Media Days were held at The Westin Charlotte on July 20 and 21, 2022.[9] At that event, head coaches and player representatives from the 14 ACC teams met with the media and discussed the upcoming season. Following the event, the ACC released a preseason poll on July 26, 2022 which was voted on by members of the sports media.[10]
| Coastal Division | |||
| 1 | Miami | 1,036 (98) | |
| 2 | Pittsburgh | 911 (38) | |
| 3 | North Carolina | 823 (18) | |
| 4 | Virginia | 667 (6) | |
| 5 | Virginia Tech | 592 (3) | |
| 6 | Georgia Tech | 343 (1) | |
| 7 | Duke | 220 | |
| Overall Champion | |||
| 1 | Clemson | 103 | |
| 2 | NC State | 38 | |
| 3 | Miami | 8 | |
| 4 | Wake Forest | 4 | |
| 5 | Pittsburgh | 3 | |
| Virginia | 3 | ||
| 7 | Florida State | 2 | |
| North Carolina | 2 | ||
| 9 | Boston College | 1 | |
North Carolina had one player selected by the media make the 2022 Preseason All-ACC Team.
Josh Downs – WR/Specialist
Josh Downs (Sporting News) – 2nd Team (WR)
| Lott Trophy[11] | Tony Grimes | DB | Jr. |
| Maxwell Award[12] | Josh Downs | WR | Jr. |
| Doak Walker Award[13] | British Brooks | RB | GS |
| Biletnikoff Award[14] | Josh Downs | WR | Jr. |
| Bronko Nagurski Trophy[15] | Myles Murphy | DL | Jr. |
| Outland Trophy[16] | Myles Murphy | DL | Jr. |
| Ray Guy Award[17] | Ben Kiernan | P | Sr. |
| Walter Camp Award[18] | Josh Downs | WR | Jr. |
| Bednarik Award[19] | Myles Murphy | DL | Jr. |
| Mannelly Award[20] | Drew Little | LS | Sr. |
| North Carolina Tar Heels coaches | ||||||||
| 4th of second stint, 14th overall | ||||||||
| 4th | ||||||||
| John Lilly | Tight end coach | align=center | 3rd | |||||
| Offensive line coach | 1st | |||||||
| Lonnie Galloway | Assistant head coach/Wide receivers coach | 4th | ||||||
| Larry Porter | Special Teams/Running backs | 2nd | ||||||
| Assistant head coach for defense | 1st of second stint, 3rd overall | |||||||
| Co-defensive Coordinator/Defensive backs coach | 1st | |||||||
| Co-defensive coordinator/Inside Linebackers coach | 5th | |||||||
| Tim Cross | 4th | |||||||
| Cornerbacks coach | 4th | |||||||
| Brian Hess | Strength and conditioning | 4th | ||||||
| Offensive analyst | 2nd | |||||||
| Frank Wilson | Senior Special Teams Analyst/Coordinator | 1st | ||||||
| Senior advisor to head coach | 4th | |||||||
| Darrell Moody | Senior advisor to head coach | 4th | ||||||
| Reference:[21] | ||||||||
Holiday Bowl Depth Chart
True Freshman
| UNC -34.5 | 55.5 |
See also: 2022 Appalachian State Mountaineers football team.
| App. -3 | 56 |
North Carolina was the first Power Five team to play a road game at Georgia State.[24]
See also: 2022 Georgia State Panthers football team.
| UNC -6.5 | 67.5 |
See also: 2022 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team.
| UNC -2 | 55.5 |
See also: 2022 Virginia Tech Hokies football team.
| UNC -9 | 57 |
See also: 2022 Miami Hurricanes football team.
| Miami -3.5 | 66 |
See also: 2022 Duke Blue Devils football team.
| UNC -6.5 | 67.5 |
See also: 2022 Pittsburgh Panthers football team.
| UNC -3.0 | 64.5 |
See also: 2022 Virginia Cavaliers football team.
| UNC -7.5 | 59.5 |
See also: 2022 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team.
| WF -4.5 | 77 |
See also: 2022 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team.
| UNC -21 | 63.5 |
See also: 2022 NC State Wolfpack football team.
| UNC –6.5 | 56.5 |
See also: 2022 Clemson Tigers football team and 2022 ACC Championship Game.
| CLEM -7.5 | 63.5 |
See also: 2022 Oregon Ducks football team and 2022 Holiday Bowl.
| UO -14.5 | 63.5 |
Tylee Craft
Following the ACC Championship Game multiple outlets reported on December 7, 2022 that offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Phil Longo was accepting the same job at Wisconsin. Offensive line coach Jack Bicknell Jr. was reported to follow Longo to Madison.[30]
On December 14, 2022, the Tar Heels made their first move to fill the vacancies, hiring Randy Clements as their new offensive line coach.[31] They later hired Chip Lindsey to fill the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach vacancy.[32]
In August 2022, the NCAA issued updated guidance for players seeking to transfer. One update to the policy was the institution of transfer windows, with entry periods designated by when specific seasons end (previously players could enter at their discretion any time before the portal closed).[33] In accordance with the new guidance, the 45-day postseason transfer period for football opened on December 5, 2022, and will close in January 2023. A second transfer window will open in May 2023, following the conclusion of spring practices.
The following members of the 2022 Tar Heel team entered the NCAA transfer portal during the postseason transfer period. The player's class is reflective of internal listing on the UNC roster.
| Name | No. | Pos. | Height | Weight | Hometown | Year | New school | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dontae Balfour | 14 | DB | 6'1" | 180 | Freshman | Charlotte | ||
| Tymir Brown | 28 | DB | 6'0" | 180 | Freshman | ECU | ||
| Chris Collins | 17 | DL | 6'4" | 245 | Graduate | Minnesota | ||
| Jacolby Criswell | 6 | QB | 6'1" | 225 | Sophomore | Arkansas | ||
| Raneiria "RaRa" Dillworth | 11 | LB | 6'1" | 200 | Sophomore | ECU | ||
| 3 | DB | 6'0" | 200 | Senior | Penn State | |||
| Tony Grimes | 1 | DB | 6'0" | 195 | Junior | Texas A&M | ||
| Kendall Karr | 82 | TE | 6'3" | 250 | Sophomore | Coastal Carolina | ||
| Cam'Ron Kelly | 9 | DB | 6'1" | 210 | Senior | Virginia | ||
| Jonathan Kim | 95 | PK | 6'0" | 210 | Senior | Michigan State | ||
| Dontavius Nash | 21 | DB | 6'2" | 180 | Freshman | ECU | ||
| Justin Olson | 83 | WR | 6'2" | 200 | Junior | MTSU | ||
| Keeshawn Silver | 55 | DL | 6'5" | 315 | Freshman | Kentucky | ||
| Jahlil Taylor | 52 | DL | 6'0" | 295 | Senior | ODU |
The following players declared for the 2023 NFL draft. Some chose to opt out of the Holiday Bowl.
| Name | No. | Pos. | Height | Weight | Hometown | Year | Opt-Out | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | WR | 5'10" | 175 | Junior | Yes | |||
| 3 | WR | 6'2" | 200 | Senior | No | |||
| 72 | OL | 6'5" | 315 | Senior | No |
Longo left for the same position at Wisconsin prior to the Holiday Bowl. AHC/WR coach Lonnie Galloway served as interim OC and called plays in the gam.
Warren and Thigpen have the title of co-defensive coordinator, but serve under Chizik, whose official title is assistant head coach for defense.