Lessons Learned from UNC Football's Halloween win over the Orange

Demon June plays like a demon

UNC's play-calling was heavily tilted to the run, and why shouldn't it have been? Syracuse entered the game as the second worst run defense in the ACC, giving up an average of 162.5 rushing yards per game. Freddie Kitchens spammed the end toss and screen button to give his offense cracks at exploiting this matchup. And just like hammering a boulder, it took a while to crack, but once it did, it split open and shattered.

Freshman Demon June led the charge, running for 101 yards, catching two passes for 81 yards (including a 72-yard touchdown catch-and-run), and salted the game away with a 5-yard touchdown rush. On the 72-yard touchdown, Demon June showed absolute disdain and disrespect to Syracuse cornerback Braheem Long, slapping him in the face as he hopelessly tried to slow June down.

The rookie running back has seen his usage decline after the UCF loss, but started to tick up against Virginia with nine carries. His 13 carries against Syracuse were second on the team after Davion Gause's 15, but he was by far the most productive back. Let's see if this portends to future reliable production for the rest of the season.