UNC football running back Omarion Hampton (Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports)
UNC Football Star Omarion Hampton Comes Up Empty at Awards Show
Omarion Hampton is either a first- or second-team All-American, depending on where you look. But on Friday night, the UNC football sophomore from Clayton, N.C., did not receive the Doak Walker Award, given to the nation's top running back; no, it went to Oklahoma State's Ollie Gordon II.
That said, just being one of the three finalists for that hardware at The Home Depot College Football Awards Show is a high honor in itself, especially considering Hampton rushed for only 401 yards last year.
This go-round, the 20-year-old Omarion Hampton put forth the definition of a breakout campaign, amassing 1,442 yards (the third most in a season in UNC football history) and 15 touchdowns (No. 5 among all-time single-season marks by Tar Heels) on the ground.
However, his meager 28 yards on nine carries in a road loss to rival NC State in the regular season finale didn't help his chances to snag the Doak Walker Award.
Even so, the 6-foot, 220-pound former four-star recruit led the ACC in rushing attempts (234), attempts per game (19.5), yards, yards per game (120.7), and touchdowns. He landed first-team all-conference honors alongside three UNC teammates: quarterback Drake Maye, tight end Bryson Nesbit, and linebacker Cedric Gray.
Hampton and the Tar Heels (8-4, 4-4 ACC), who went 2-4 across their last six games after winning six straight out of the gates, are gearing up to face West Virginia (8-4, 6-3 ACC) at the Duke's Mayo Bowl in Charlotte's Bank of America Stadium on Dec. 27 at 5:30 p.m. ET (ESPN).
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