Before you officially trade in your No. 13 jersey for the No. 2 sported by UNC fan favorite Bryn Renner (a redshirt rookie who has yet to take a snap and is playing baseball this spring), remember that at one point in 2008, starting quarterback T.J. Yates was leading the ACC and ranked 12th nationally in passing efficiency.

Yates, entering his final season in Chapel Hill, has the potential to be one of the ACC's better quarterbacks, and offensive coordinator John Shoop hasn't given up on Yates. That being said, as North Carolina gears up for winter conditioning and spring drills, improved passing efficiency and fewer turnovers are at the top of Shoop's list for 2010, and he's hoping that the competition at quarterback will help accomplish that. Even though Renner is playing baseball for the Tar Heels, he won't miss any football practices for baseball-related functions -- not even games.

Shoop said there will be competition at every spot on the offense this offseason, but added that Yates "can play at that high level."

"You can never point at one thing or one person," Shoop said. "There's a lot of things that go into it. But, having said that, there's going to be competition at every position. That's the nature of it. Competition brings out the best in you if you're the right kind of guy. ... I don't think coach (Butch) Davis has any inhibition to play who he thinks is the best player."

UNC fans have been eager to see if that's Renner, who was rated the No. 6 quarterback in his class by ESPN.com. Renner's father was a punter at Virginia Tech and for the Green Bay Packers. Renner will get a chance to prove himself this spring, but Shoop said the competition at quarterback will be no different from any other position on the field.

"I think we've got three quarterbacks on scholarship who are all really good players," Shoop said, also referring to Braden Hanson.

UNC finished the 2009 season ranked No. 11 in the ACC in pass efficiency (115). Yates completed 60.3 percent of his passes for 2,136 yards, 14 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. In fairness to Yates, he was working with three freshmen on the offensive line and three freshmen wide receivers. While that's not an excuse for every turnover -- and Yates will be the first to admit there were some throws he'd like to have back -- it seemed to be overlooked in 2009 that Yates was working with an entirely new receiving corps, and an injury-riddled offensive line.

Yates can win games for North Carolina in 2010, but he can't do it alone. He's a good quarterback, not a great quarterback, and he'll need the entire supporting cast around him to improve.

Shoop thinks it already has.

"(Interceptions) are things we can control," Shoop said. "We're going to be much more efficient passing the ball. We've been there before, and we'll be there again."