Mack Brown addresses running back depth, reveals how British Brooks is still contributing

The North Carolina Tar Heels are still dealing with the loss of senior running back British Brooks for the season with just a handful of days left before the first kickoff. Tar Heels head coach Mack Brown shared on Monday that Brooks is still contributing despite his injury.

“The good thing about British is, he’s got my cart now, now I don’t have one. He drives it around practice with his leg stuck out of the cart in the cast,” Brown said. “He’s coaching them and he’s just zipping it around. We lost so much with his leadership. He was a great leader, not a good leader. He’s gone right back out there and gone to work, he’s coaching them hard.”

Brooks was the Tar Heels’ second leading rusher from the running back position last season, behind the Minnesota Vikings’ Ty Chandler. In 2021, Brooks ran the ball a total of 31 times for 295 yards (9.5 ypc) and four touchdowns.

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With the senior out for this season, there’s a strain on the Tar Heels to make up for his production and leadership. To take over Brooks plays as a potential starter, UNC has turned to junior running back DJ Jones. Jones also saw playing time last season with 60 carries for 253 yards.

“DJ’s been good since he’s been here,” Brown said Monday. “He’s smart, he can protect, he can catch, he’s real fast and he’s doing a better job of running inside. The best backs get yards after contact, that’s where we’re grading them. DJ’s problem has been he’s been hurt in the past.

“We were lucky at that position that we have six that can play. We didn’t sign a running back this year and we didn’t need one.”

Drake Maye to start versus Florida A&M

In the press conference on Monday morning, Mack Brown revealed that Maye will be under center for UNC’s opening drive of the season. Brown went on to say that both Maye and Jacolby Criswell could see time at quarterback for UNC. The player who is moving the ball better will be on the field. But when the Tar Heels host Florida A&M on Saturday, Maye will get the first chance to lead the offense.

“I’ve said [Maye] earned the job. We’ve looked at every little thing,” Brown said. “Every day, from spring till now, it’s very close … It’s really, really close decision that we ended up just saying, ‘I feel like he’s earned the right to be out there first.’

“There’s not enough to get into what one is better than the other. We’re so lucky that they’re both good. They’re both smart, they both get along. They both know the offense, they’ve both been here some. Neither one has game experience and we’re lucky that both know how to run our offense.”

Maye completed seven of his ten pass attempts last season, throwing for 89 yards and a touchdown as a true freshman. He also rushed six times for 62 yards. Criswell has completed 16 of his 25 passes over the past two years for 195 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

On3’s Jonathan Wagner contributed to this report.