UNC's Hood to miss Sun Bowl, will return to team in 2017

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) North Carolina junior tailback Elijah Hood won't play in the Sun Bowl against Stanford due to medical reasons but will return to the

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) North Carolina junior tailback Elijah Hood won't play in the Sun Bowl against Stanford due to medical reasons but will return to the team in 2017 instead of entering the NFL draft.

In a statement from the school, Hood said he was ''disappointed I cannot be with my football brothers'' for the bowl game as he stays in North Carolina to recover, but said he was eager to return to school for his season season.

The school didn't specify the nature of Hood's medical issues.

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The Charlotte native ranked as one of the Atlantic Coast Conference's top rushers in 2015 after running for 1,463 yards and 17 touchdowns, but he ran for just 858 and eight scores this year for the Tar Heels (8-4).

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