CHAPEL HILL, N.C. –– With a jaw-dropping 210-yard performance, Omarion Hampton dominated on the ground, eclipsing NCCU’s entire offensive output of just 167 yards.
NCCU’s strong opening drive culminated in a 5-yard touchdown by J’Mari Taylor. But in the second half, Hampton came alive and tied the score on an 11-yard run. He seized control with two more touchdowns including a 53-yard play downfield, bulldozing his way through defenders and driving ahead relentlessly for the extra yardage. With 416 total yards in just three games, he is ranked fourth in the country – cementing his status as an elite rusher.
Leading the nation with 181 yards after contact, head coach Brown said that Hampton’s ability to wear a defense down is like no other.
“He is one of the best running backs in our history and in the country,” he said.
He was a huge piece in the Tar Heels win last Saturday with the entire offense – totaling 513 total yards. UNC finished with 330 rushing yards compared to the Eagles 76, an accomplishment that can largely be attributed to Hampton as well as some key defensive stops.
“Omarion is such a great player,” Brown said after the game. “I look up and I think ‘ehh.’ And then, it’s second-and-2 or he scores and he’s got eight of them (defenders) on him. And he takes care of the ball, he passes, he protects, he catches the ball…Omarion is just a great player, and that’s why we took him out in
the fourth quarter and just said, ‘go sit down.”
When he’s in the game, he knows exactly what he has to do to get the job done—and he has no problem doing it.
His 25-carry workload, while hefty, underscores his pivotal role in the offense. Though such intensity might typically be reserved for tougher opponents, Hampton’s remarkable dependability keeps him in play. This reliability has also strengthened the relationship he has with his quarterback Jacolby Criswell.
“Oh you have no worries,” Criswell said. “You see third-and-3, I’m looking right at Big O like, ‘this is you brother, this is you.’ And Big O is like ‘all right.’ There are just no worries back there.”
Despite a minor injury that delayed his scoring debut, Hampton ultimately carved his own path to the endzone, and what we saw on Saturday is just a snippet of what’s to come.
His skillset is a clear evolution of the fortitude he built up his sophomore year. By the end of the 2023 season, he had amassed 1,504 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns – averaging a stellar 8.4 yards per attempt.
Now a veteran in the room, he has been molding the younger talent. True freshman Davion Gause scored his second touchdown in two games and sophomore Charleston French earned the first of his career against the Eagles.
Hampton says that the guys have a good relationship and are consistently working to uphold the legacy of this program’s strong run game.
“We’re a team that runs the ball,” Brown said. “We were averaging 243 yards, maybe, coming into the game, and had 330 yards (Saturday) night. So we’re going to run the ball, that’s who we are…We’re going to run the ball and we’re going to run it every week.”
Brown also stressed the importance of a more balanced attack, saying that the guys need to improve in the passing game. Almost a month into the season, North Carolina has had little production from their receiving core which is surprising considering it’s a room made up of promising young talent and veterans.
The lackluster showing from the receivers demands immediate attention. Veterans like J.J. Jones, Kobe Paysour, and Nate McCollum must step up their game. Simultaneously, younger players need to seize opportunities to prove themselves and foster a culture of mutual motivation and teamwork.
UNC’s Run Game Is Strong Early On