University of North Carolina Athletics
GoHeels Exclusive: Gillespie Talks Running Backs
April 29, 2019 | Football, Featured Writers
By Pat James, GoHeels.com
Amid the changes that have occurred inside the Kenan Football Center this offseason, the North Carolina football team entered spring practice looking to develop depth and install the new offensive, defensive and special teams schemes.
Those were also a few of the priorities for the running backs. But as the only position group that has the same coach, Robert Gillespie, and returns a majority of its nucleus, Gillespie demanded a bit more from his players.
"I challenged those guys, 'I want one of you to pull away from the others and create some separation,'" he said. "And I think this spring they did."
The Tar Heels return their top two rushers from last season, upperclassmen Michael Carter and Antonio Williams. Rising sophomore Javonte Williams showed flashes of potential last fall and earned praise all spring. And his fellow classmate British Brooks also impressed.
Together, those four running backs form perhaps the strongest and deepest position group on the team. So it's unsurprising that the coaching staff wants all of them involved this fall.
"Coach (Phil) Longo has talked about that being a room that we want to try to do multiple things with," Gillespie said. "We'll probably get in some more two-back in the offense to get those guys on the field at the same time. It's a long season and injuries happen. But I think this offense is big enough to give all those guys a chance to display their skillset."
And those skillsets certainly vary.
Despite missing two games last season, Carter, a rising junior, led UNC with 597 rushing yards on 84 carries. He averaged 7.1 yards per carry, the highest mark by any Carolina player who ran the ball 75 times or more since at least 1980. Only Carter and Jacque Lewis – who averaged 7.5 yards on 74 carries in 2004 – have averaged 7.1 yards or more on at least 20 carries this century.
In addition to his explosiveness, Carter, who recorded 25 catches for 135 yards last season, is an adept pass-catcher. Those traits make him a seemingly ideal fit in the new Air Raid offense.
"Mike does a lot of things out of the backfield that you want to do with a guy in this offense," Gillespie said. "He can catch the swing passes, the check-downs and create explosive plays. But he's also a guy who you can line up in the slot to do some different things. I think Mike is going to have a chance to have a big year in this offense."
The same is expected of Antonio Williams.
After transferring from Ohio State, Antonio Williams carried the ball a team-high 91 times for 504 yards as a junior last season. His five rushing touchdowns were tied with Javonte Williams for the most on the team. The rising senior also proved capable in the passing game, hauling in 16 receptions for 131 yards.
Gillespie said Antonio Williams "did a better job of lowering his pads, finishing his runs and picking up his feet in the holes" this spring. He also continued to lead.
"Although he is very good on the field, his ability to just take over and lead (is most valuable)," Javonte Williams said. "When he came in from Ohio State, the way that he just gravitated toward everyone and everyone just started following him, I think that's his best quality."
Known for his combination of power and speed, Javonte Williams shares traits with both Carter and Antonio Williams.
An early enrollee, Javonte Williams impressed his coaches and teammates last spring and throughout training camp in August. But he carried the ball only six times in his first eight games. Over the last three games, he saw more time at running back and capitalized on the opportunity, converting 37 carries into 193 yards and five touchdowns.
Gillespie said Javonte Williams remained patient and waited for his chance last season. This spring, he said he told the rising sophomore "don't wait anymore. Have confidence in yourself that you are a good player, that you deserve to be here and that you are an ACC back."
In the spring game, Javonte Williams carried the ball six times for 51 yards and a touchdown.
"He's very smart, very detailed," Gillespie said. "He catches the ball well, he runs the ball well, he has great pad level, he's a dominant blocker. He's just a complete back. Everything for him is going to get better and better and better as he gets reps.
"This spring was great. His teammates respect him, and they know he's a guy who can be the one. Called upon at any moment, he can be the guy to take over the game."
Brooks hasn't received as much attention as the rest of the running backs since joining the team as a freshman last season. He registered just seven carries for 57 yards, all of which came against Western Carolina, and played on special teams. But Antonio Williams said "British is on the same level as the other guys in the room."
"He's a quiet kid, but he's worked so hard without saying one word that he's earned the respect of his teammates," Gillespie said. "He's a great energy for the running back room. He's phenomenal playing on special teams. And for him to be someone who the new staff has learned and trusted to put in some special team situations and for us as an offense, to allow him go in the play and not worry about it, says a lot about that kid."
Gillespie said the loss of Jordon Brown – who announced his decision to transfer in early April after rushing for 371 yards last season – "was a big blow for the team." But he said Brown's departure allowed some players to get more reps and grow over the last few spring practices.
It remains to be seen how those reps will be divided when the Tar Heels open the 2019 season against South Carolina on Aug. 31 in Charlotte. One thing is certain, though: the running backs will be relied upon, even if the term "Air Raid" might suggest otherwise.
"We want defenses to have to defend the entire field," Gillespie said. "The fact that we will throw the ball over your heads and take those safeties out of the box, those running backs understand that's one less guy they have to make miss. Those guys have embraced it because of the space it creates in this offense and also those guys are weapons out of the backfield catching the ball.
"It's not a negative to catch the ball. If you look at the NFL, that's what people do now. Those premier backs are catching 70 or 80 balls a season. So I think the backs have been excited about the opportunities in space that they'll have in this offense."
