Tag: Omarion Hampton

Hampton and Brooks give UNC one of country’s best rushing tandems

Most teams have one star running back. Luckily for UNC, they have two in the forms of Omarion Hampton and British Brooks.

In Week 1, all the talk about UNC football on offense surrounded British Brooks.

The Tar Heel native hadn’t played in a game since 2021, but ran for over 100 yards in UNC’s 31-17 win over South Carolina in the opener. He’s seceded touches since that victory, but for good reason.

In Week 2, all the talk about UNC football almost entirely surrounded Omarion Hampton, the sophomore running back from Clayton, N.C. He torched the App State defense for 234 rushing yards and three touchdowns, including an overtime score in the comeback, 40-34 Tar Heel triumph.

Hampton and Brooks have 523 rushing yards and eight touchdowns between them, giving them one of the country’s most potent rushing attacks.

Hampton was thrust into starting duty before the App State matchup, as Brooks would miss the game with yet another injury. He returned the following week against Minnesota, but it’s difficult to not start a guy coming off a historic rushing performance.

Hampton is tied with Duke running back Jordan Waters, New Mexico’s Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Marshall’s Rasheen Ali and UNLV’s Jai’Den Thomas for second nationally in rushing touchdowns. His rushing yardage total ranks second in the ACC behind Louisville’s Jahwar Jordan.

Brooks was the Heels’ starter ahead of the opener, but Hampton has now shot himself up the depth chart into that role. Opponents are going to have nightmares dealing with whichever running back takes the field.

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All-around effort helps deliver 4-0 start for UNC football in win over Pitt

The UNC football team dominated Pitt in a well-rounded, 41-24, ACC-opening victory. Carolina is 4-0 heading into its bye week.

North Carolina’s ACC football opener on Saturday at Pitt is exactly the type of game the team has struggled with in the past – a severely outmatched opponent, on the road, a ranked team playing an unranked one.

On Saturday night, the Tar Heels looked nothing like the team that struggled to prove itself in big moments.

After generating offense sparingly and struggling to put together defensive stops in the opening quarter, UNC exploded for 21 second-quarter points en route to a dominating, 41-24 triumph over Pitt in the ACC opener for both teams.

The Tar Heels trailed 14-7 after Daniel Carter’s rushing touchdown for Pitt, just five seconds into the second quarter. They responded by driving half the field – highlighted by a trick play, then capped off by Drake Maye’s first of three touchdowns.

UNC then made a defensive stand, which is becoming more commonplace this season, halfway through the second quarter to set up the ensuing fireworks. Alijah Huzzie, the East Tennessee State transfer, took a Caleb Junko punt 50 yards to the house for a 20-14 Tar Heel lead. UNC would never trail again.

Huzzie finished his night with two returns for 81 yards. This marks the second game-changing play in as many weeks for Huzzie, who made an open field tackle against App State to prevent it from driving further in overtime.

The one play everyone is talking about from UNC-Pitt is what closed the first half scoring. With Maye keeping the ball on a read option and about to be sacked by Panther defenders, he threw the ball with his left hand to a waiting Kobe Paysour in the end zone. Carolina converted on the ensuing extra point and took a 28-17 advantage into the half.

Maye delivered a solid encore after his explosion against Minnesota, completing 22 passes for 296 yards and compiling three total touchdowns. His first touchdown came shortly after the second-quarter trick play, while his final score was a 1-yard, third-quarter rushing touchdown that extended UNC’s lead to 34-17 (35-17 after extra point).

Carolina star running back Omarion Hampton even joined in on the scoring fun, carrying the rock 18 times for 66 yards and his team’s first touchdown of the game.

Sittin’ pretty at 4-0 heading into the bye week after a thorough victory in its ACC opener, the UNC football team is in good shape to compete atop the conference.

Pitt, on the other hand, is heading in the wrong direction and, almost certainly, will look at how to get virtually any production from its offense. The Panthers finished with 307 total yards, but Phil Jurkovec barely cracked the 100-yard passing mark.

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UNC Football: Five things to watch against Pitt

UNC travels up to Pitt for its ACC football opener on Saturday night. Check out the five areas to watch ahead of the primetime clash.

The UNC football program is exactly where it wants to be three weeks into the season – undefeated and tied atop the ACC.

The Heels downed neighboring rival South Carolina, 31-17, in Week 1 for just the fourth time in 11 matchups. British Brooks ran for over 100 yards in his first game since 2021, while UNC’s defense held the Gamecocks to three second-half points.

Carolina received a major scare from new in-state rival App State the following week in Kenan Stadium, but pulled off an overtime comeback to win, 40-34. Omarion Hampton cemented his status as UNC’s lead running back, scoring three touchdowns against the Mountaineers and leading the nation with 234 yards that week.

After two slow weeks under center, Tar Heel quarterback Drake Maye delivered a Heisman Trophy-esque performance in the 31-13 triumph over Minnesota, completing 29 passes for 414 yards (sixth in the nation) and two touchdowns.

Pitt is moving in the opposite direction, sitting at 1-2 after a 17-6 loss to West Virginia in the 106th annual Backyard Brawl. Panthers quarterback Phil Jurkovec experienced one of the worst games as a collegiate quarterback, tossing three interceptions and failing to reach the 100-yard mark.

Pitt won its opener, 45-7 against Wofford, but the offense has not looked as explosive since. The Panthers hung 21 on Cincinnati, but gave up 27 points in the loss.

UNC-Pitt is the ACC opener for both teams, so let’s take a look at five key areas ahead of the game:

UNC Football: Offensive Keys to the Game against Pitt

UNC and Pitt meet Saturday night in the ACC football opener for both teams. See how the Tar Heels’ high-octane offense can break down Pitt.

UNC fans got what they’d all been waiting for last week – a Heisman Trophy-esque performance from star quarterback Drake Maye.

The Heels won their non-conference finale against Minnesota, 31-13, in large part due to Maye’s 2-touchdown, 414-passing yard performance. Maye developed newfound chemistry with wide receiver Nate McCollum in the victory, as the Georgia Tech transfer caught 15 (over half) of Maye’s passes for a game-high 165 yards and a touchdown.

UNC starting running back Omarion Hampton only gained 46 rushing yards and added a score, but he didn’t need to run for 200 yards for his team to be successful last weekend.

The Heels begin their quest for a second straight trip to the ACC Championship Game this weekend, as they begin conference play with a trip to Pitt on Saturday night (8 p.m., ACC Network). The Panthers are coming off a low-scoring, 17-6 loss to West Virginia in the 106th annual Backyard Brawl.

What exactly does UNC need to accomplish on the field to remain undefeated and start ACC play 1-0?

UNC-Minnesota pits two of country’s top running backs against each other

Saturday’s football game pits two of the country’s top running backs – Omarion Hampton and Darius Taylor – against each other.

UNC’s Omarion Hampton is carving out a name for himself as one of college football’s top running backs, mainly thanks to a record-breaking performance last week.

Hampton, the sophomore back out of Cleveland High School in Clayton, N.C., obliterated App State’s defense for 234 yards and three touchdowns on 26 carries, in a 40-34 comeback win for the Tar Heels. His final touchdown came in overtime – a response to App State’s first score – followed by a Ryan Coe extra point.

These numbers were good enough for Hampton to be the leading rusher in all of college football last weekend.

There’s another young running back by the name of Darius Taylor – and he’s coming to Chapel Hill today.

Taylor, the University of Minnesota’s star freshman running back, compiled 193 rushing yards and a touchdown on a nation-high 33 carries, in the Golden Gophers’ 25-6 win over Eastern Michigan last weekend.

When UNC and Minnesota face off at 3:30 p.m. today inside Kenan Stadium, the attention will be on two solid, undefeated teams trying to prove they remain at the top of their respective conferences. Tar Heels quarterback Drake Maye has a lot of Heisman hype, but his performance in Week 1 and 2 are not up to Heisman standards.

If you ask me where the attention should be, however, it should be on Hampton and Taylor. Hampton gained 44% of UNC’s offensive yards last week, while Taylor gained 47% of Minnesota.

There’s a very good chance today’s game could come down to the last possession – and Hampton or Taylor breaking off one last final run to ice things.

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UNC Football: Five things to watch against Minnesota

UNC will host Minnesota Saturday for the two school’s first-ever matchup. Carolina sports a high-octane offense, Minnesota has defense.

The first two weeks of UNC’s football season have been a lot of what fans expected – high-octane offense and an unpredictable defense.

Carolina averages 482 yards per game, second in the ACC to only Florida State, but is tied with Clemson for ninth in the country at 243.5 rushing yards per game. UNC’s been fortunate to have 100-yard rushers in each of its first two games – British Brooks in the 31-17 win over South Carolina, then Omarion Hampton in the 40-34 comeback vs. App State.

The Tar Heels’ defense generated nine sacks against South Carolina, then failed to register a single one against App State. The Gamecocks racked up 351 yards against UNC, the effect of which was negated due to UNC’s sack total, while App State nearly reached the 500-yard mark.

Carolina faces a brand-new opponent on Saturday, Sept. 16 at 3:30 p.m., welcoming undefeated Minnesota to the friendly confines of Kenan Stadium. The Golden Gophers will be significantly tougher to score against, as they allow under 250 yards per game to opponents.

With a brand new opponent who should prove to be UNC’s toughest test of 2023 so far, let’s take a look at five things to watch out for:

UNC vs. App State: Game preview, info, prediction and more

The UNC football squad hosts Minnesota Saturday in a battle of undefeated teams. Will blazing offense or rock-solid defense prevail?

One of the more under-the-radar college football matchups to watch in Week 2 is UNC-Minnesota.

The first thing to note is that both squads are undefeated.

Both teams have played tough competition in their first two games. UNC won the Border Battle (31-17) against South Carolina in Week 1, then came-from-behind to defeat App State (40-34) in its home opener last weekend.

Minnesota beat Nebraska and new head coach Matt Rhule, public enemy number one among professional football fans in North Carolina, 13-10 in Week 1. The Golden Gophers turned around and won comfortably, 25-6, against Eastern Michigan last weekend.

These two program have an entirely different style of play. Carolina is a high-flying, offensive-minded team that can torch you with a variety of runners, including quarterback Drake Maye. The Tar Heels are a headache for any defense to keep up with – even the strongest units.

Minnesota, on the other hand, is a defensive-minded squad that will make you earn every yard. The Golden Gophers might be the buzzsaw that ends UNC’s pursuit of perfection – they only allow 223.5 total yards per game (eighth-best in the FBS). Minnesota also only allows 92.5 passing yards per game – third-lowest in the country, being one of three teams (Sam Houston State, Air Force) that opponents average less than 100 passing yards against.

Both UNC and Minnesota have a strong ground game, but UNC has the clear-cut advantage at quarterback, even with Maye’s slow start. Let’s take a deeper look into this Week 3 clash, which kicks off at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 16 inside Kenan Stadium:

Omarion Hampton cracks PFF’s top 5 Highest-graded Running Backs

North Carolina Tar Heel Omarion Hampton cracks PFF’s top 5 Highest-graded running backs among power five schools.

It has been a fruitful start of the season for North Carolina’s sophomore running back, [autotag]Omarion Hampton[/autotag], who is already getting recognition for it.

Pro Football Focus (PFF) released their highest-graded running backs among the power five, with the Tar Heel cracking the top five. Hampton is joined by Mississippi State’s Jo’quavious Marks, Tennesse Jaylen Wright, Louisville’s Jawhar Jordan, USC’s Marshawn Lloyd, and Notre Dame’s Audric Estime.

Hampton joins the list after a career day against App State, finishing with 234 rushing yards on nine yards per carry. The four-star running back also tacked on three touchdowns on the big day.

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It is great seeing the Tar Heel get recognition for an epic performance. Hampton showed flashes of what he could do last season, but it is great to see the consistency, especially seeing it gave British Brooks a chance to heal.

Hampton and the Heels will return on Saturday to take on Minnesota in Chapel Hill.

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UNC Football: Offensive Keys to the Game against Minnesota

UNC aims to go 3-0 in its football season on Saturday, when it takes on Minnesota at home. Check out the five offensive keys to the game.

A dominant ground game and rare defensive stop had the UNC football team celebrating on Saturday, Sept. 9 in front of its home fans, as it came-from-behind and took down App State, 40-34, in yet another offensive thriller.

This game looked very reminiscent of last year’s – teams moving the ball at will and struggling to get defensive stops. Offensive production came from virtually anyone in the second half, with UNC and App State combining for 54 second-half points.

During the 2022 battle in Boone, the Tar Heels and Mountaineers combined for 62 fourth-quarter points.

Omarion Hampton was college football’s top running back in Week 2, running for an insane 234 yards and 3 touchdowns on 26 carries. He practically picked up a first down, averaging nine yards per carry.

Hampton sits fifth among FBS leaders in total rushing yards (271), so it’d be hard not to start him against Minnesota on Saturday.

Drake Maye threw for over 200 yards, but he was, once again, largely held in check for a Heisman Trophy contender’s standards.

What does UNC need to do better offensively so it can move to 3-0? Or will the Tar Heels follow the same offensive blueprint from the win against App State?

Hampton, Evans, Kiernan nab UNC Player of the Game honors against App State

After Saturday’s wild, 40-34 triumph over App State, UNC named Omarion Hampton, Desmond Evans and Ben Kiernan Players of the Game.

I think UNC fans can all agree that Saturday’s football game against App State was a rollercoaster of emotions no one wants to experience again, at least not anytime soon.

The Heels’ defense looked a lot like last year’s, showing an inability to get off the field on late downs and struggling to generate quarterback pressure. They made a stop when it mattered most, though, locking up the 40-34 double-overtime win by forcing an incompletion on fourth down.

Carolina’s offense, led by a career day from running back Omarion Hampton, won it the game.

For their efforts in the victory, Hampton, defensive end Desmond Evans and punter Ben Kiernan were named UNC’s Players of the Game.

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Not only did Hampton generate three touchdowns and a career-high 234 rushing yards, he led the entire FBS in rushing yards. On a day where UNC quarterback Drake Maye failed to throw a touchdown, Hampton single-handedly kept Carolina in the game.

While British Brooks is on track to return and, quite possibly start against Minnesota on Saturday, it’d be difficult not to give Hampton a ton of carries.

Evans was not the Heels’ defensive leader, but he played a respectable game on the line. He generated six tackles (three solo), including half-a-tackle for loss, plus a pass deflection.

Evans sacked South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler once the week before. UNC will looking for even more production out of his this coming Saturday.

Kiernan had a practically identical game punting against App State, with his two punts traveling a total of 90 yards (45-yard average). Against the Gamecocks, Kiernan punted the ball twice for 85 yards (42.5-yard average).

Here’s to hoping Carolina’s offense can stay on the field even more against Minnesota. If not, however, it’s relieving to have a reliable punter like Kiernan.

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