CHAPEL HILL – What exactly does North Carolina have in its backfield, aside from quarterback?
The running backs room, to be specific, but nobody really knows yet what to expect from this group. It’s somewhat an unknown as the Tar Heels gear toward the start of fall camp in early August.
A shift toward more physical running was one of the themes of spring football, and it’s something that was absolutely implemented more than in previous seasons. But can it be effective?
Questions lurk about the offensive line’s ability to grind out paths for a quality, edgy run game. Questions also hover above about the readiness of the running backs to effectively take advantage of improved run blocking up front.
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For the sake of narrowing the focus to the running backs, the operating assumption is the o-line does its job. So, does UNC have what it takes in the backfield?
A positive answer is essential to UNC’s season. Carolina Coach Mack Brown and his staff know they have a special quarterback in Drake Maye, who will contend for the Heisman Trophy and perhaps the top pick in next year’s NFL draft. But even in college, they don’t want to chance it having to ride his arm to the winner’s circle each week. That usually comes with a ceiling at some point in a season.
To achieve their goals as a team and program, the Heels must run the ball consistently well, and physically well.
“We’ve got to change the narrative in our running game,” Brown said. “We were really good when we had the two great backs, we were okay our third year, we were inconsistent last year. And we’ve got to be able to win a game without it being a quarterback.
“If Drake has a bad game, we just can’t say Drake had a bad game. We have to be able to run the ball.”
The room comprises six backs, figuring D.J. Jones remains on defense at safety. Junior Elijah Green was the starter over the second half of last season and entered the spring as the first guy on the depth chart. Sophomore Omarion Hampton, who had two 100-yard games through week three a year ago, but none afterward, was the second back when spring started.
Both remained one and two, respectively, when spring practice concluded. In part by default, given that oft-injured junior Caleb Hood was out, and sophomore George Pettaway injured an ankle a couple of weeks before the spring game.
British Brooks, the starter when fall camp opened last summer but was lost for the season after a few practices because of a torn ACL, finished spring doing plenty in thud and will be ready to go in August.
Still, two backs stood at the top when the team broke for the remainder of the offseason.
“Both Elijah Green and Omarion Hampton had a very good spring,” Brown said.
Green (5-foot-11, 205 pounds) ran for 558 yards and eight touchdowns last season. He averaged 4.3 yards per attempt. Hampton, who is 6-foot, 220 pounds, finished with 401 yards, six scores, and averaged 4.6 yards per attempt.
Hood also started a few games, and even Jones started the opener. Pettaway played a bit here and there, as the staff went down the depth chart looking for someone to grab ahold of the job. Green was basically at the bottom, until he was at the top after the others had their shots.
“We played too many last year and never really got established with just a guy,” Brown said. “Our goal would be to have two that play and have a third one that can come in in special situations and be ready to step up if one of those two got hurt.”
What’s interesting is that the massive question mark looming above this room isn’t entirely a bad thing at this juncture. Competition in August will bring out the best in them, but it’s also not a best of a so-so group that will emerge.
The talent is there, said new offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey, who installed more of a power run game in the spring.
“He’s a downhill runner,” he said about Hampton, who is regarded by many as UNC’s most gifted back. “I think what we do in the run game really fits him, Elijah as well. Those two guys are similar in that respect.
“I haven’t seen much of Caleb (much), he’s been limited. But Omarion is extremely talented. He’s explosive, he’s big, he’s physical. He’s one of those guys that when he hits you, you go backwards. He’s a heavy guy, but he’s also got the ability to run away from you.”
Various position groups went into the late spring and summer fairly open-ended, including at running back. What’s known is they each have talent, what’s not known is who will comprise the rotation when the Tar Heels open versus South Carolina on September 2.
