Demon June is quickly emerging as the UNC football program's top running back

One of the biggest questions leading up to the 2025 season for the UNC football program was how they were going to replace Omarion Hampton's production at the running back position.

Sure, Hampton left big shoes to fill, as evident by his selection in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, but Tar Heel fans have seen some elite running backs make their way through the program, especially over the last few seasons.

Well, it appears that the heir to the throne has quickly emerged in the form of true freshman Demon June.

After earning his first reps against Charlotte, putting together some fiercely looking runs, June was the first Tar Heel running back to earn a carry against Richmond. The in-state product wasted no time making a drastic impact, rushing for 59 yards on his first two carries, including a 50-yarder that put the UNC football program deep in the red zone.

In fact, his 50-yard dash serves as the longest run by a true freshman since... you guessed it... Omarion Hampton back in 2022.

June wasn't settled with having one good drive. In fact, he was a man on a mission to find the end zone, earning his first collegiate score with a 45-yard run in the fourth quarter.

Overall, June rushed for 148 yards on 14 carries. This is the most a UNC freshman running back has had since Michael Carter's 157-yard outing against Virginia during the 2017 season.

Of course, it's important to remember that June is essentially just two games into his college football career (given he only played special teams in the loss against TCU). However, the early results are extremely encouraging, as it appears that the UNC football program has round its RB1 for the foreseeable future.

The original plan of having a running back by committee approach that the Tar Heels started the season with is one that has quickly changed due to the emergence of Demon June.