What Is The Name Of The Unc Tarheels Mascot?

A tar heel is a name used to describe North Carolina residents dating back to the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The term “Tar Heel” was inspired by a star football player, possibly derived from the Revolutionary War or the Civil War. The ram became the official mascot of the North Carolina Tar Heels in 1924 and has traveled across the country with the Tar Heels.

The idea for using a ram came from the nickname for star Tar Heel fullback Jack Merritt, known as the “Battering Ram”. Huggins obtained $25 from the University for the mascot and ordered a live ram from Texas. They named him Rameses, arriving when the team was 2-4 and looking for inspiration. For nearly 70 years, the mascot of North Carolina’s football team has been a ram. Since Carolina’s nickname is Tar Heels, the anthropomorphic version of Rameses wears a Tar Heels jersey.

For the past 100 years, a live Dorset Horn Sheep has stood on the sidelines of UNC football games at Kenan Memorial Stadium bearing the name Rameses. The term “tar heel” dates back to North Carolina’s early history, when the state was a leading producer of naval industry supplies. Rameses the ram, mascot of the University of North Carolina Tar Heels, rests on the sideline before the Atlantic Coast Conference Football game.