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John Shoop enters his third spring as North Carolina's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. In 2008, the Tar Heels lost starting quarterback T.J. Yates for six games early in the season after breaking his ankle against Virginia Tech. Off to a hot start, Yates did not return to the starting role until the last three games of the season. Reserve QB Cameron Sexton led the team to a 5-2 record and had his best run of success at UNC under Shoop. Meanwhile, wide receiver Hakeem Nicks had his best two years in Shoop's offense, setting school records for career receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns. The Tar Heels also produced their best running attack in four years, averaing 122.6 yards per game as Shaun Draughn (866 yards) and Ryan Houston (8 touchdowns) led the way. In his first year in Chapel Hill in 2007, Shoope developed an exciting offense despite having just one senior starter. Yates, an unknown commodity prior to the start of the season finished fourth all-time among ACC freshmen in single-season passing yardage and was selected first-team freshman All-America by The Sporting News. Yates set the single-season school record for passing yards and Nicks set a school mark with 74 receptions. Wide receiver Brandon Tate became one of the best big-play threats in the conference in Shoop's offense, averaging more than 20 yards per catch. Versatile athlete Greg Little has been a productive player at both wide receiver and tailback as Shoop always finds ways to get the ball to the team's top playmakers. Shoop came to Chapel Hill after serving two seasons with the Oakland Raiders. He was Oakland's quarterbacks coach in 2005, the tight ends coach in 2006 and was elevated to offensive coordinator for the final five games of the 2006 season. Shoop spent the 2004 season as quarterbacks coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers under head coach Jon Gruden. He worked five seasons (1999-2003) for the Chicago Bears under head coach Dick Jauron, including three as the offensive coordinator (2001-03). Shoop was promoted to Chicago's offensive coordinator position after spending the 1999-2000 seasons as the Bears quarterbacks coach. At the time, he was one of the youngest coordinators in NFL history. In his first season as the coordinator in Chicago, Shoop revitalized the Chicago offense and helped lead the Bears to the NFC Central Division title with a 13-3 record. That season, tailback Anthony Thomas earned Offensive Rookie of the Year honors after setting a Bears' rookie rushing record with 1,183 yards, and quarterback Jim Miller had his most productive season as a pro. Under Shoop's direction in 2002, the Bears offense produced Pro Bowl wide receiver Marty Booker, who became the first Chicago receiver to earn all-star game honors since 1971. Prior to joining the Bears, Shoop spent four seasons with the Carolina Panthers, where he began his NFL coaching career at the age of 25. Shoop was an offensive quality control assistant for the Panthers in 1995-96 where he was a member of a staff that led the team to the NFC Championship Game in 1996. He was then promoted to quarterbacks coach, serving in that capacity for Carolina from 1997-98. Shoop began his coaching career as a volunteer quarterbacks coach at Dartmouth in 1991, then served as a graduate assistant at Vanderbilt from 1992-94, where he also earned a master's degree in education. A native of Oakmont, Pa., Shoop graduated from the University of the South in 1991, where he played quarterback for four seasons. Shoop and his wife, the Rev. Dr. Marcia Mount Shoop, have a son, Sidney, and a daughter, Mary Elizabeth. Shoop's brother, Bob, is the defensive coordinator at William & Mary College.
The Shoop File |
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