CHAPEL HILL — Bill Belichick chose college football, Omarion Hampton chose the NFL.

Belichick enters his first season with UNC football without one of the Tar Heels ’ all-time great running backs. Hampton, a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, is preparing for his professional debut as a member of the Los Angeles Chargers.

That leaves Belichick with eight running backs on the current roster, including four true freshmen. The other four backs with college experience have combined for 1,022 rushing yards and seven touchdowns in 52 games. Hampton had 1,660 yards and 15 rushing TDs in 12 games last season. Buy UNC football tickets

“It’s hard to imagine any one player having the production that Hampton had,” Belichick said Aug. 13 during his third press conference of the prese

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