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UNC Football: Tar Heels recruit has unbelievable night on the ground

By Blake Cockrum

WINSTON SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 13: Head coach Mack Brown of the North Carolina Tar Heels watches on against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during their game at BB&T Field on September 13, 2019 in Winston Salem, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
WINSTON SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 13: Head coach Mack Brown of the North Carolina Tar Heels watches on against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during their game at BB&T Field on September 13, 2019 in Winston Salem, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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UNC Football recruit puts up monstrous numbers on the ground, setting a school record in the process

First-year North Carolina head football coach Mack Brown returned to the Tar Heels in 2019 more than 20 years after he left Chapel Hill in 1997 to join the Texas Longhorns. During his two-decade-long hiatus from UNC, Brown had a successful run with the Longhorns that included a national title in 2005, some time spent in the television studio as an analyst and a short stretch of retirement.

Apparently he’s still got a few tricks up his sleeve after all that time, though, because he’s got the Tar Heels playing competitive football again. With four wins on the gridiron this season — and a handful of extremely close losses — the team on the field is light years ahead of the two-win program fans watched flounder last year.

Not only that, Brown also has the Tar Heels on a torrent pace on the recruiting trail. The Tar Heels’ 2020 recruiting class is ranked No. 17 in the nation according to the 247Sports Team Rankings. And of their 26 commitments, seven are from 4-star recruits. There are a number of really promising players among the group — particularly on the defensive line — but keep an eye on Ja’Qurious Conley.

Conley was recruited by the Tar Heels as a safety, but on Thursday night he put on a show on the offensive side of the field for Northside High School. The 6-foot-2, 201-pound Conley ran for 364 yards and five touchdowns in a 57-11 win against White Oak. And he did it in just eight carries. Eight. He scored on runs of 66, 60, 75, 33 and 74 yards, and mixed in a 43-yard touchdown reception, too. In all, he put up 407 yards of offense and six touchdowns on just nine touches. Talk about efficient.

How the Tar Heels decide to use Conley when he gets on campus next season is yet to be seen. The Tar Heels do have some skill and experience in their backfield already, but Conley might be worth taking a look at lining up behind Sam Howell from time to time next season.

Next. Analyst praises 5-star UNC recruit. dark

For more on Conley and the UNC football program, check back with Keeping It Heel.

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