UNC Football Position Preview: Running back

We take a look at the running back position and what to expect from the UNC Football team in 2018

Editor’s note: This article was published before Michael Carter Jr. suffered an injury.

When looking at the North Carolina Tar Heels football roster this year, it’s easy to spot that there’s a lot of talent at the running back position. The unit is loaded this year, returning Jordon Brown and Michael Carter Jr., two backs that saw significant playing time in 2017.

But they also have Ohio State transfer Antonio Williams added to the backfield for even more depth.

It’s very possible that this will be the deepest position on either side of the football for the Tar Heels and the talent is certainly there. Last season, Brown and Carter gave UNC a 1-2 punch at the position and Williams should just add to that combo.

If this offense was to get off to a hot start and stay consistent, running the ball effectively will go a long way in doing that.

2017 review

The Tar Heels entered the year with Brown as the starting running back, taking over for Elijah Hood and T.J. Logan. There was a drop-off expected with the losses of two really good backs in Hood and Logan, but for the most part Brown and Carter Jr. held their own.

While Brown started the year as the primary back, Carter Jr. was able to force head coach Larry Fedora to find reps for him due to his stellar play in Week 1.

Carter Jr. burst onto the scene, finishing the game with 94 yards on 11 carries and scoring 2 touchdowns. The running back flashed his speed and ability to make a big play throughout the game and that carried on throughout the year.

Brown finished the season with 658 rushing yards and averaged 4.4 yards per carry, while finding the end zone 5 times. His counterpart, Carter Jr., had 558 yards on the ground while averaging 5.8 per carry. Carter Jr. scored a total of 8 rushing touchdowns and had an impact in the receiving game as well.

With their performances last year, the team has high hopes going into 2018.

Depth Chart

This just might be a case in which the depth chart really doesn’t matter throughout the year as the Tar Heels are expected to use all three backs significantly.

Going into the year, Williams’ status was unknown but the NCAA ruled that he was indeed eligible to play. That’s a big boost to this offense.

Starter: Michael Carter Jr. (So.), Jordan Brown (Jr.)

Backups: Antonio Williams (Jr.) , Johnathon Sutton (Jr.),

Reserves: Antwuan Branch (Rd. Fr), Devon Lawrence (Fr.), Javonte Williams (Fr.), British Brooks (Fr.),  Chavis Little (Rd Fr.), Jacob Schmidt (Sr.),

What to expect?

Going into the season it’s very likely this will be the position with the most production in 2018 due to the depth and talent on the depth chart.

For UNC to have a good offense, it will certainly help to get the run game going early. Doing so will help take the pressure off quarterback Nathan Elliott. It will open up some more things for the offense and could lead to big things.

I think UNC will try to utilize Michael Carter Jr.’s speed as much as they can in both the rushing and receiving game. Carter Jr. will be able to spell Brown, who is looked at more of as a two-down back in this offense.

As for Williams, it wouldn’t shock me if he came in and had an impact right away. Williams can also spell Brown on certain downs and might just be the Tar Heels most skilled tailback right now.

Who will make the biggest impact?

I think all three backs will have a significant impact on this offense throughout the year but I’m going with Carter Jr. as the one to have the biggest impact.

The dynamic running back should have another solid season by not only running the ball but catching passes out of the backfield. The key for Carter and the rest of the unit is to stay healthy but even if an injury does pop up, there is some depth at the position.

A big year for Carter Jr. could be topping the 1,000-yard rushing mark or getting close to it, maybe finishing somewhere near 900 yards and 7-8 touchdowns. If that happens, then this offense certainly should be a lot better.