| 87 Brandon Tate |
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2008 Honorable-Mention All-ACC by The Associated Press
2007 Honorable-Mention All-ACC by The Associated Press
NCAA career leader in combined kick returns yards (kickoffs & punts) with 3,523 yards • ACC career leader in kickoff returns (109) and kickoff return yardage (2,688) • One of only nine players in NCAA history to return a kickoff and a punt for a touchdown in the same game (Duke, 2006) • Holds the UNC single-season and career records for most kick returns for touchdowns.
2008 - Senior Season
Suffered a torn right ACL and MCL against Notre Dame and missed the final seven games of the season • At the time of the injury, ranked 13th in the nation with 163.7 all-purpose yards per game, fifth in punt returns (22.6) and 18th in kickoff returns (27.7) • Also led the ACC in all-purpose average and punt return average and was fourth in the ACC in receiving yards per game (62.7) and third in kick return average • When injured ranked second at Carolina with 376 receiving yards on just 16 catches for a 23.5-yard average • Also was the Tar Heels' third leading rusher with 143 yards on 11 carries • Set the NCAA record for combined kick return yardage (punts and kickoffs) in the win at Miami • Finished with 3,523 career kick return yards to pass Deltha O'Neal of Cal (3,455 yards from 1996-99) • Also 304 yards shy of the NCAA record for kickoff return yardage set by Jeff Liggon of Tulane (2,992 yards from 1993-96) • Needed just 165 punt return yards to become the 11th player in NCAA history with 1,000 yards on both kickoff and punt returns • Returned one punt for nine yards against Notre Dame before leaving with a knee injury • Had two catches for 17 yards against Connecticut • Made three catches for 62 yards, including a long of 37 yards at Miami and was named one of the team's offensive players of the week • Also completed his first career pass for 12 yards • Returned three kickoffs for 67 yards versus the Hurricanes • Had three catches for 66 yards and scored on a 32-yard reception against Virginia Tech • Also rushed two times for 16 yards and added 104 kickoff return yards against the Hokies • Scored on a 69-yard pass and a 12-yard run at Rutgers • Posted a career-high 138 receiving yards on four catches against the Scarlet Knights • Also rushed for 19 yards and posted 62 yards on returns • Set a school record with 397 all-purpose yards on just 11 touches against McNeese State surpassing 339 yards by Derrick Fenner against Virginia in 1986 • The total was the second most in ACC history • Against the Cowboys had 93 receiving yards, 106 rushing yards, 142 punt return yards and 56 kick return yards for 36.1 yards per touch • With the 106 yards rushing, became the first UNC wide receiver with a 100-yard rushing game • Set the school record for highest single-game punt return average (min. three) against McNeese with a 47.3 yard mark • Earned ACC Specialist of the Week Honors Sept. 1 for his efforts against McNeese State and was named Carolina's player of the week for both offense and special teams.
2007: Needed just three seasons to set ACC career records for kickoff return
yards (2,383) and returns (98) • Led the ACC with 147.1 all-purpose yards
per game • Tallied 1,765 all-purpose yards and a team-high seven touchdowns
• Averaged 17.8 yards per touch (1,765 yards on 99 touches) • Recorded 479
yards receiving on just 25 catches (19.2 yards/catch) and tallied five
receiving touchdowns • Averaged 24.1 yards per kickoff return and 9.4 yards
per punt return with one score • Had two catches for 18 yards and a 9-yard
TD in the win over Duke • Also added a combined 44 return yards and had a
32-yard run • Was named one of the team's offensive players of the week in
the win over the Blue Devils • Combined for 68 return yards and had three
catches for 45 yards at Georgia Tech • Posted 168 all-purpose yards at NC
State, including two catches for 68 yards • Caught a 50-yard pass from
fullback Bobby Rome for his fourth receiving TD on the season • Combined for
106 return yards on eight attempts vs. Maryland • Tallied 211 all-purpose
yards at Wake Forest, including 31 receiving yards on three catches and 18
rushing yards on three carries • Had one catch for 18 yards vs. South
Carolina and missed the second half with a head injury • Compiled 223
all-purpose yards in the win over Miami (64 rush, 54 receiving, 98 kickoff,
7 punt) and was named one of the team's co-offensive players of the week •
Had a 54-yard TD run and now has scored via run, reception and punt return
this season • Also added three catches for 54 yards •Had three catches for
31 yards and totaled 108 all-purpose yards at Virginia Tech • Returned six
kickoffs for 160 yards and made one catch for six yards at USF • Had two
catches for 32 yards against Virginia • Tied Charlie Justice's school record
with his fifth career return for a touchdown with a 58-yard punt return at
ECU • Named ACC Specialist of the Week for his efforts • Also had three
catches for 102 yards and two scores (39, 51 yards) against the Pirates •
Caught two passes for 74 yards and one touchdown versus James Madison •
First catch of the season was a 28-yard TD reception, the first of his
career • Later in the game, he made a spectacular catch, laying out for a
46-yard reception to set up another touchdown • Also rushed twice for 15
yards.
2006 - Sophomore Season
Ranked second in the ACC in punt return average (9.7) and sixth in kickoff
return average (23.7) • Led the ACC and was one of only three players in the
country with two kickoff returns for touchdowns • Became just the third
person in UNC history and the ninth player in NCAA history to return a
kickoff and a punt for a touchdown in the same game • Returned a kickoff 97
yards for a touchdown with 17 seconds remaining in the first half of
Carolina's 45-44 victory at Duke • The 97-yarder equaled the third-longest
in school history • Also returned a 54-yard punt for a touchdown in the Duke
win •Joins Charlie Justice (vs. Florida in 1946) and Eric Blount (vs.
William & Mary in 1991) as the only Carolina players to ever return a punt
and kickoff for a touchdown in the same game • Tate's 54-yard punt return
for a score was Carolina's first punt return (other than a blocked kick) for
a touchdown since Michael Waddell had an 89-yarder at Oklahoma in 2001 •
Finished the game with five punt returns for 69 yards and four kickoff
returns for 139 yards • Had a career-high 38 yards receiving on two
receptions in the win over NC State, including a 26 yarder • Returned one
kickoff for 31 yards and two punts for 16 yards against the Wolfpack • Had
two punt returns for 16 yards and two kickoff returns for 51 yards,
including a long of 31 against Georgia Tech • On a kickoff, faked a handoff
to Quinton Person and then kept the ball for himself and raced 90 yards for
a touchdown in the second quarter at Notre Dame • Had three kickoff returns
for 54 yards, including a long of 21 • Returned three punts for 19 yards,
including a long of 12, and three kickoffs for 84 yards, including a
season-long 42-yarder, at Virginia • Had five kickoff returns for 85 yards,
including a long of 22, and had one punt return for two yards against USF
• Returned three kickoffs for 58 yards (long of 30), had four punt returns
for 26 yards (long of nine) and caught a four-yard pass at Miami • Had five
kickoff returns for 75 yards, including a long of 23, against Clemson •
Fumbled one kickoff return against the Tigers • Returned two kickoffs for 62
yards, including a long of 34, in the win over Furman • Also had an 11-yard
rush on a reverse play • Had two receptions for 30 yards against Virginia
Tech • Made his first career reception on a 17-yard pass from Cameron Sexton
• It was also Sexton's first career completion • Tate had two punt returns
for 30 yards, including a long of 34 yards, and two kickoff returns for 30
yards, against Virginia Tech • Had a solid game as Carolina's kickoff return
man against Rutgers • Had three returns for 87 yards, including a long of
34.
2005 - Freshman Season
Played in all 11 games as the kick returner • One of seven true freshman to
see action • Had 21 kickoff returns for 542 yards, an average of 25.8, and
29 punt returns for 267 yards, an average of 9.2 • Ranked 22nd in the
country in kickoff returns • Was second in the ACC in kickoff returns and
third in punt returns • Returned four kickoffs for 95 yards, including a
35-yarder, at Virginia Tech • Also had a 16-yard punt return against the
Hokies • Had four punt returns for 40 yards, including a long of 18 yards,
and had one kickoff return for 18 yards against Duke • Had three punt
returns for 11 yards and three kickoff returns for 70 yards, including a
long of 30 yards, against Maryland • Had one kickoff return for 21 yards and
two punt returns for 25 yards in the win over Boston College • Had three
kickoff returns for 48 yards, including a long of 23, against Miami •
Returned three punts for 31 yards, including a long of 26, in the win over
Virginia • Had five kickoff returns for 103 yards, including a long of 36,
against Louisville • Was spectacular in Carolina's win over Utah, running
back the game's opening kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown • It was the first
time a Tar Heel had returned the opening kickoff since Michael Waddell vs.
Wisconsin in 2003 • Finished the game with three kickoff returns for 149
yards and one punt return for three yards • Had six punt returns for 63
yards, including a long of 40, in the victory over NC State • Also had a
38-yard kickoff return against the Wolfpack • Had five punt returns for 31
yards, including a long of 17, against Wisconsin • Started as the punt
return man and was impressive in his debut at Georgia Tech with four punt
returns for 47 yards, including a long of 26.
Cummings High School
Had 66 receptions for 1,213 yards and 18 touchdowns in 15 games as a senior
• Also returned kicks and played defensive back • Had 22 catches for 496
yards (22.5 per catch) and eight touchdowns as a junior • Helped lead
Cummings to the state finals in 2003 and the semifinals in 2004 • Burlington
Times-News All-Area selection • Member of the Greensboro News & Record
All-Area Team • Earned all-conference honors • Three-year starter in
football and basketball • Coached by Steve Johnson • Plays guard on the
basketball team and helped lead Cummings to the state title as a junior.
Personal
Son of Lesley and Barry Tate, Sr. • His brother, Barry, plays football at
Lenoir-Rhyne College • Born on October 5, 1987 • Communications major.
Receiving Rushing
Year Rec. Yards Avg. TD LP Att. Yards Avg. TD LP
2005 - - - - - - - - - -
2006 5 72 14.4 0 26 3 20 6.7 0 15
2007 25 479 19.2 5 51 12 131 10.9 1 54
2008 16 376 23.5 3 69 11 143 15.8 1 54
Totals 46 927 20.2 8 69 25 294 11.8 2 54
Kickoff Returns Punt Returns
Year No. Yds. Avg. TD LP No. Yds. Avg. TD LP
2005 21 542 25.8 1 96 29 267 9.2 0 40
2006 38 902 23.7 2 97 20 194 9.7 1 54
2007 39 939 24.1 0 45 23 216 9.4 1 58
2008 11 305 27.7 0 56 7 158 22.6 1 82
Totals 109 2,688 24.7 3 97 79 835 10.6 3 82
Career Highs: 138 receiving yards at Rutgers (2008), 106 rushing yards vs. McNeese
State (2008), 97-yard kick return at Duke (2006), 82-yard punt return vs. McNeese
State (2008)
