CHAPEL HILL - After producing an All-American campaign as a sophomore last season, North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton has provided his fair share of dominating performances on the ground.
Yet, in Saturday’s 45-10 win over North Carolina Central, he nearly eclipsed them all, just one week following an early exit due to injury against Charlotte.
Hampton rushed for 210 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries, becoming just the seventh running back in school history to reach the 200-yard mark on multiple occasions.
For the Clayton, NC, native, it was simply another day at the office.
“[I’m] really just doing what I gotta do for the team, just putting my all out [there],” said Hampton. “I have confidence in myself. If it’s a third and three, I know I got to get it. There’s no other choice.”
Hampton outpaced Central’s 167 total yards of offense, needing just 25 touches to surpass the Eagles’ output on 60 plays.
In case Hampton, who tied his career-high with three scores, didn’t impress enough, he also moved into 15th place on UNC’s all-time rushing list (2,321 yards) with his performance, passing T.J. Logan and Javonte Williams.
UNC Coach Mack Brown has become so accustomed to Hampton’s dominance on the ground, that his 6.3 yards-per-carry oftentimes seem uninspiring.
“Omarion is such a great player and I look up and think ‘Ehhh’ and then it’s second and two or he scores and he’s got eight [guys] on him,” said Brown.
With the injury to quarterback Max Johnson and the inexperience of both Conner Harrell and Jacolby Criswell, Hampton has cemented himself as the face of the Tar Heel offense.
Through three games, he has served as a workhorse, amassing 416 yards on 66 carries, 11 more rushes and 99 more yards than at this point last season.
Only four of his rushes have resulted in a loss of yards, with 94 percent having turned into a positive play for the Tar Heels.
“I’m really just doing what I got to do,” said Hampton. “I know what I got to do, just setting a goal for myself, [and] just not letting the first person tackle me. [I] try to have that mindset and just do it every play.”
He was successful in that department against the FCS foe, recording 181 yards after contact, as he now leads all of college football with 310, according to PFF.
Hampton’s offseason focus of improving his balance has become evident in UNC’s 3-0 start, regularly requiring the attention of multiple defenders to bring him down.
While his numbers stack up with any running back in college football, the confidence Hampton provided Criswell en route to his career-high day may be even more important.
“There’s just no worries [with Omarion] back there,” said Criswell. “From where he was as a freshman to where he is now and me seeing it, it’s like ‘Wow, this stuff actually does happen.’ He’s just put in so much work and he had himself a day. You just love a running back like that guy.”
As Hampton continues to serve as the engine that powers the Tar Heel offense, he is not only on pace to break his single-season rushing record of 1,504 yards and will likely threaten Don McCauley’s all-time single-season record of 1,720 yards, which has stood for 54 years.
