UNC Football: Top 10 Tar Heels Quarterbacks All-Time

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Nov 21, 2015; Blacksburg, VA, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Larry Fedora on the sidelines in the fourth quarter. The Tar Heels defeated the Hokies 30-27 in overtime at Lane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /

Honorable Mention

Mark Maye, UNC (1984-87)

Maye ranks 11th in career passing yards (3,459) and ninth in career completion percentage (56.2%). Although Maye did not play all four years at North Carolina, he excelled a great deal during his last two seasons. 3,966 of his 3,459 passing yards occurred during Maye’s junior and senior seasons at UNC. In 1986, Maye ranked number one in the ACC in passing yards per attempt (7.6 yards), pass completion percentage (62.5%) and passing efficiency (141.3).

Luke Maye, a forward on the UNC men’s basketball team, is Mark Maye’s son.

Chris Kupec, UNC (1972-74)

Chris Kupec had a less than stellar career as a freshman, sophomore and junior for the North Carolina Tar Heels. Kupec did not play as a freshman. He threw 26 passes as a sophomore and threw two passes as a junior.

Kupec’s senior season in 1974 was impressive. He completed 109 of 165 passes (66.1%) for 1,599 yards along with 13 touchdowns and four interceptions with a quarterback rating (QBR) of 168.6.

Kupec set a few records during his lone breakout season at UNC. He has highest quarterback rating (QBR) in a season (174.3 QBR in 1974). In addition, Kupec has the second-highest quarterback rating (QBR) in a career (160.09 from 1972-1974).

In 1974, Kupec ranked second in passing yards (1599) and total yards (1698) in the ACC. He lead the ACC with 22 total touchdowns (13 passing and nine rushing). Moreover, he ranked third in pass attempts and pass completions in the same year.

Charlie “Choo Choo” Justice, UNC (1946-49)

Many people consider Justice to be the greatest Tar Heel football player of all-time. Although he was a halfback, Justice has 11th most touchdowns as a quarterback (25). Justice ran for 39 touchdowns. Justice ranked second in the Heisman voting in 1948 and 1949. Justice was a consensus All-American in 1948.

Prior to playing college football at the UNC, Justice spent four years in the Navy in World War II. During this period, Justice earned the nickname “Choo Choo,” due to the way he avoided tackles.

In 1950, Justice was the MVP of the College All-Star game. The college football all-star team defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 17-7. Justice ran for 133 yards in this game.