Reserve quarterback Mike Paulus won't be with North Carolina when it takes on Pittsburgh in the Meineke Bowl on Dec. 26 - although the Tar Heels will see him again next season.
Coach Butch Davis announced that the sophomore from Syracuse, N.Y., will transfer and plans to attend William & Mary, where he will be eligible to play immediately next year. The Tar Heels have the Tribe on their schedule in 2010.
"Mike came to me a few weeks ago and asked to be released from his scholarship so he could transfer to an FCS school," Davis said in a prepared statement. "Mike is seeking an opportunity where he can receive more playing time, and I respect his wishes."
Paulus, a former four-star recruit, played in four games at UNC as a redshirt freshman in 2008 and was 4-for-13 for 33 yards. He did not play at all this season, slipping behind Braden Hansen for the back-up job to starter T.J. Yates.
Playing time will be at a premium again next season, with Yates returning for his senior year, star recruit Bryn Renner expected to compete for snaps after redshirting this year, and tailback/quarterback A.J. Blue expected to return to the lineup after a knee injury this season.
"I'm ecstatic about the possibility of attending the College of William & Mary in January," Paulus, who thanked UNC and its coaches for helping him narrow down his choices and choose a program, said in a prepared statement. "It's a great academic institution with a top-notch football program. I look forward to playing for Coach [Jimmye] Laycock and competing for the quarterback job."
Paulus is the younger brother of former Duke point guard Greg Paulus, who played quarterback at Syracuse this season. William & Mary's defensive coordinator, Bob Shoop, is the brother of UNC quarterbacks coach John Shoop.
