UNC football senior Omarion Hampton, who was named ACC Running Back of the Week, has not shown any signs of slowing down since his outstanding 2023 season, in which he finished second on the team's single-season rushing list, falling just 216 yards shy of Don McCauley's record of 1,720 yards set in 1970.
The 6-foot, 220-pound impact slugger from Clayton, North Carolina, has been instrumental throughout the Tar Heels' 3-0 start this season, rushing 25 times for 416 yards, including 210 yards and three touchdowns, in the team's 45-10 win at home against North Carolina Central on Saturday night.
Hampton's recent production raises his career rushing yards to 2,321, moving him into the top 15 in UNC football history.
The 21-year-old leads the nation in rushing yards after contact this season with 310 (181 in his last game) and needs 74 more yards to pass Ronnie McGill for 14th place, and is 260 yards shy of overtaking Marquis Williams (13th), Giovani Bernard (12th) and Tyrone Anthony and Elijah Hood (11th) to crack the top 10.
Omarion Hampton now ranks 15th in UNC history! 🏈🐏 pic.twitter.com/KKsa9w7Iug
— Great Day Tar Heel (@GreatDayTarHeel) September 15, 2024
An additional 947 players would put Hampton in the top five.
Amos Lawrence's 4,391 yards from 1977-1980 still seems arguably at the top of the list.
The No. 16 UNC football team, led by Omarion Hampton and Mack Brown, will look to improve to 4-0 after a three-game series when they take on James Madison at noon ET on Saturday at Kenan Stadium (ACC Network).
Also read: Multiple players scored for UNC home opener
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