Compared to some of the other position groups, North Carolina’s running backs return most of their production from last season.
Demon June is back after leading the Tar Heels in rushing as a freshman, and Benjamin Hall returns to provide power in the backfield, but the offense — especially the running game — struggled mightily.
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North Carolina finished last season 119th nationally in scoring at 19.3 points per game and 129th in total offense at 288.8 yards per game — a sharp drop-off after fielding one of the nation’s top attacks in all five seasons under former coach Mack Brown. A key issue was the running game, which averaged just over 105 rushing yards per game, ranking 120th nationally and 14th out of 16 teams in the ACC.
The regression in Bill Belichick’s first year in charge led UNC to part ways with offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens and bring in renowned yet controversial Bobby Petrino.
If North Carolina wants to go 8-4 instead of 4-8 as it did last season, it needs to have a solid running game. Here is a breakdown of the running back room..
Returners
Demon June, Sophomore (5-11, 215)
Oct 31, 2025; Syracuse, New York, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels running back Demon June (12) runs past Syracuse Orange cornerback Duce Chestnut (2) in the third quarter at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images
June was UNC’s leading rusher last season. He had 84 carries for 464 yards with two rushing touchdowns and also hauled in 17 catches for 159 yards, which was the third most on the team. He broje the 100-yard mark twice last season when he ran for 148 yards against Richmind on Sept. 11, his first career start, and 101 yards against Syracuse. His 148-yard performance against Richmond was the most rushing yards by a freshman since Michael Carter in 2017.
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Benjamin Hall, Redshirt Junior (5-11, 235)
Oct 17, 2025; Berkeley, California, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels running back Benjamin Hall (28) runs for a touchdown against the California Golden Bears in the first quarter at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images
Hall was the second-leading rusher on UNC last season with 274 yards and two touchdowns. He was an important back for the Tar Heels last year as he was used in short-yardage situations and was an excellent pass blocker in the backfield, often being the last line of defense to protect the quarterback.
Jaylen McGill, Sophomore (5-10, 200)
McGill got more playing time down the stretch of his freshman season last year, often on passing downs. He had seven carries for 19 yards and seven receptions for 49 yards.
Charleston French, Redshirt Junior (5-9, 205)
French barely saw the field last season. He has yet to convince the staff he’s a dependable option, in large part because he hasn’t had many in-game reps. That limited workload likely reflects what coaches have evaluated from him during practice.
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JoJo Troupe, Redshirt Freshman (5-8, 200)
Troupe has yet to log a snap for the Tar Heels. The former three-star prospect from Berkeley Prep ranked as the No. 99 running back in the 2025 class.
New Additions
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA – SEPTEMBER 01: Benjamin Hall #28 of the North Carolina Tar Heels carries the ball for yardage during the first half of the game against the TCU Horned Frogs at Kenan Stadium on September 01, 2025 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
Kaleb Jackson, Redshirt Junior (6-0, 234)
Jackson left his hometown of Baton Rouge to transfer to UNC from LSU. The 6-0, 234-pound tailback had a solid freshman season in 2023 with 31 carries for 165 yards (5.3 yards per carry) and four touchdowns. However, his production the next season dropped as he only rushed despite starting off as LSU’s No. 2 back, getting 44 carries for only 150 yards, just 3.4 yards per carry. Jackson then started losing carries to then-freshman Caden Durham and then hardly played in 2025 because of Durham and blue-chip freshman Harlem Berry taking away his carries.
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Crew Davis, Freshman (5-11, 199)
Davis attended Iona Prep in New Rochelle, New York. He was a three-star recruit out of high school and the No. 2 player in the state. Davis was named the MaxPreps New York State Player of the Year as a junior. In his senior season, Davis tallied 1,257 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground. Davis plans to play lacrosse at UNC, too.
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Football: Breakdown of running back room with spring camp underway
