It's easy to catch the Backup syndrome. After all, the Backup is always better, more reliable and more exciting, right?

If he were, he wouldn't be the Backup.

UNC fans seem to have caught the Backup syndrome. They are eagerly waiting for Bryn Renner to take over senior T.J. Yates' starting quarterback job. Considering the Tar Heels had one of the worst offenses in the ACC last year, one of the first people to catch the heat would be Yates. To some degree, it's understandable. There were a few plays in 2009 that made you wince.

Yates threw 14 touchdowns and 15 interceptions last year. Not good. Yates knows that. But he also completed 60.3 percent of his passes -- a better mark than more than half his counterparts in the ACC -- for 2,136 yards. Not bad. And offensive coordinator John Shoop knows it.

This coaching staff hasn't lost faith in Yates, and neither should Carolina fans. Why gamble on inexperience when you've got one of only two quarterbacks in UNC history to throw for 5,000 yards as your starter? It's hardly as if Yates' career has been disastrous. In the UNC career record book, Yates ranks second in completions, second in touchdowns, second in attempts, second in passing yards, and third in completion percentage.

It is important to remember that Yates was working with an entirely new cast of wide receivers and a patchwork offensive line last year. In 2008, when he had Hakeem Nicks to throw to, Yates passed for 1,168 yards and 11 touchdowns to just four interceptions. He missed five games with an ankle injury.

The players around Yates should be better this year, and that should help him improve. He's got to make better decisions and cut down on the turnovers, but he's proven to be a capable quarterback who can manage the game well enough to win.

UNC fans should be excited about Renner. He's an extremely talented athlete and was rated the No. 6 quarterback in his class by ESPN.com. He was a member of the ESPNU 150. His father was a punter at Virginia Tech and the Green Bay Packers. He'll be playing baseball this season, but football is his first priority. Renner could be the missing piece to Carolina's ascension in the ACC and the college football ranks.

Then again, so could Yates.