North Carolina Tar Heels football statistical leaders

The North Carolina Tar Heels football statistical leaders are individual statistical leaders of the North Carolina Tar Heels football program in various categories.[1][2] These categories include passing, rushing, receiving, total offense, all-purpose yardage, defensive stats, and kicking. Within those areas, the lists identify single-game, single-season, and career leaders. The Tar Heels represent University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the NCAA's Atlantic Coast Conference.

Although North Carolina began competing in intercollegiate football in 1888,[1] the school's official record generally does not include statistics from before the 1940s, as records from earlier years are often incomplete and inconsistent.

These lists are dominated by more recent players for several reasons:

  • Since 1940s, seasons have increased from 10 games to 11 and then 12 games in length.
  • The NCAA didn't allow freshmen to play varsity football until 1972 (with the exception of the World War II years), allowing players to have four-year careers.
  • Bowl games only began counting toward single-season and career statistics in 2002.[3]

These lists are updated through North Carolina's game against Duke on November 11, 2023. Note that the NCAA does not officially recognize statistics for Hakeem Nicks and Deunta Williams, who were implicated in the scandal that caused the Tar Heels to retroactively forfeit all wins in the 2008 and 2009 seasons. However, the full stats of these players are listed in the school's media guide,[4] and also here. The NCAA continues to recognize statistics from those seasons amassed by players who were not implicated in the scandal.

  1. ^ a b "2016 North Carolina Tar Heels Media Guide" (PDF). GoHeels.com. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
  2. ^ "2019 Carolina Football Media Guide" (PDF). North Carolina Tar Heels. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
  3. ^ "NCAA changes policy on football stats". ESPN.com. AP. August 28, 2002. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
  4. ^ Hinton, Matt. "Ex-Tar Heel Hakeem Nicks guilty of academic fraud during final season at UNC". CBS Sports. Retrieved July 20, 2012.