The Doak Walker Award released their preseason watch list today, and UNC running back Demon June was featured on it. While this in itself isn’t a huge honor (60 running backs made the list, or almost half of the position’s starters in FBS football), it does solidify the idea that much is expected out of June in the upcoming season.
June is arguably UNC’s best returning offensive weapon. He had a solid freshman season on an otherwise dismal UNC team, rushing for 464 yards and two touchdowns; he was active in the passing game as well, catching 17 passes for 159 yards and another TD. While these are not eye-popping stats, he was often the lone bright spot on offense and ended up becoming the full-time starter for the Heels. UNC didn’t bring in a lot of competition for June in the offseason, making him the likely starting option against TCU.
So, for today’s Question of the Day: what would you consider a successful sophomore year to look like for June? There should be ample opportunities for the lead UNC running back as the Heels look to lean on the ground game while breaking in a new starting quarterback. On the flip side, the offensive line that will be tasked with creating opportunities for June (and the rest of the UNC running backs) also has a lot of question marks.
Last year, 44 players surpassed 1,000 yards rushing for the season (although five were quarterbacks). I don’t think June will hit that number, and it’s possible he won’t even be given enough opportunities to do so anyway. I think 800 yards rushing and another 200 receiving would represent a very good season for June with all the changes the team has gone through.
What are your expectations for June this season? What do you think his ceiling is? Let us know in the comments!
