Projected 2025 UNC football starter named to prestigious award Watch List
Dominating the Backfield 💨Our guys making noise on the Doak Walker Award Watch List - honoring the nation's most outstanding collegiate running back. pic.twitter.com/KMlLju2Yh2
The North Carolina Tar Heels are known, in the past decade, for producing NFL-caliber running backs. That continued in 2024 with Omarion Hampton, whom the Los Angeles Chargers took 22nd overall in April's NFL Draft.
With Hampton no longer in Chapel Hill, the question is: who starts at running back for UNC in 2025? If you aren't familiar with the name Davion Gause, you might want to start paying attention.
Gause, who played most of his 2024 freshman campaign as Hampton's backup, recently earned a nomination to the Doak Walker Award Watch List.
The Doak Walker Award is annually presented to college football's best running back. If Gause is getting this type of recognition, with the 2024 Fenway Bowl being his only collegiate start, expectations are extremely high for the second-year back from Florida.
Gause broke onto the scene during North Carolina's 38-20 victory over Charlotte last year, recording 105 rushing yards and his first collegiate touchdown, in just his second-ever college football game. Hampton left that victory at halftime, due to a previously unknown injury, giving the Opa-Locka native his chance to shine.
A week later, Gause scored his second touchdown during the Tar Heels' 45-10 thumping of NC Central. Gause didn't score against until November 23 against Boston College, scoring twice in UNC's 41-21 defeat, but proved himself as a reliable scoring threat.
Joining Gause in North Carolina's running back room are senior Caleb Hood, Michigan transfer Benjamin Hall, redshirt sophomore returner Charleston French and freshman Demon June. If Gause can separate himself early, he'll be another bell cow back for the Tar Heels.
Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
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