UNC Veteran Running Back Caleb Hood Retires from College Football

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Fifth-year senior Caleb Hood, who began the season as North Carolina’s starting running back on opening night, is retiring from college football, per a social media post on Friday.

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“After much thought and prayer and discussion with my family, I have decided to retire from football,” Hood wrote on Instagram. “My journey at UNC has been special and I appreciate my time here. I am exited to start the next chapter and will always take my memories of Carolina with me. I want to thank Coach (Bill) Belichick, Coach (Freddie) Kitchens and Coach (Natrone) Means for giving me an opportunity, as well as all my other coaches and teammates throughout my years of football for the impact they’ve all had on my life!”

Hood had one carry for a 2-yard loss in the Tar Heels’ last game, the lopsided loss to Clemson in their ACC league opener. UNC (2-3) is five games into its first season under Belichick’s watch, and already has suffered three blowout losses by 25 points or more. Friday’s arrival brought the end of a chaotic bye week marred by turmoil — namely wild speculation and sensationalism about Belichick’s job status, the suspension of cornerbacks coach Armond Hawkins amid allegations of improper extra benefits, and the churn of the rumor mill running rampant.

The Tar Heels have the second open date on their schedule this week, allowing 12 days between games to prepare for their Oct. 17 road assignment at California (4-2). Earlier, Hood ran 10 times for 31 yards in UNC’s season-opening debacle against TCU, topping the Tar Heels in both categories. His 8-yard touchdown run jumped Carolina ahead 7-0 on Labor Day night at Kenan Stadium, and capped an electric first drive to start Belichick’s debut season, during which he carried for 9- and 8-yard rushes on two of the first three plays of the game.

Hood’s usage since has fallen off, while true freshman Demon June and transfer Benjamin Hall have handled more of the work at running back. Hood collected eight touches — five rushes for 15 yards and three catches for 14 yards — during UNC’s second game at Charlotte. But he has had just one carry across the three game since then, an ill-fated run out of a wildcat formation on a third-and-3 against Clemson, with UNC already having tumbled behind 14-3 in the first quarter.

“Caleb came to me Wednesday and shared his difficult decision to retire from playing football,” Belichick said Friday in a separate prepared statement. “I could feel his conviction and the peace with his playing career closing. Caleb is a great person, a leader and an exemplary teammate. He has done everything we have asked him to do as a student-athlete both on and off the field and he has been a model representation of our program. He has battled through injuries the last couple years and worked hard this offseason to stay healthy and compete every day this season. He will always be a Tar Heel and I wish him nothing but the best moving forward.”

Hood played in 31 career games from 2021-25 at UNC, while totaling 515 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 114 attempts. He added 24 catches for 194 receiving yards and a touchdown.

During the offseason, Hood entered the transfer portal on Dec. 3 — eight days before the Tar Heels hired Belichick — and then withdrew his name from college football’s free-agent market more than three weeks later on Dec. 27. The next day, he ran for 78 yards and threw a 17-yard touchdown pass as UNC’s wildcat quarterback in the Fenway Bowl, when the Tar Heels were defeated 27-14 by Connecticut, with Kitchens serving as interim coach in the stead of the fired Mack Brown.

Hood’s previous four seasons under Brown at Carolina were derailed by recurring injury issues. He played in four regular-season games last season, contributing seven carries and three receptions. Star runner Omarion Hampton, true freshman Davion Gause and the often-injured Darwin Barlow were ahead of Hood in UNC’s backfield lineup last season.

Hood ran for 43 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries during the 2023 season, while appearing in seven games. In 2022, he was the Tar Heels’ starter at running back alongside redshirt freshman quarterback Drake Maye in ACC victories against Virginia Tech, Miami, Duke and Pittsburgh. He supplied 109 all-purpose yards (87 rushing, 22 receiving) in UNC’s shootout win at Appalachian State. Four games later, he ran for 74 yards on 13 carries and added five catches for 50 yards, as the Tar Heels won at Miami. Hood rushed for 250 yards in 2022, before missing the final six games of that season due to injury.

In high school, Hood became an in-state star at Richmond County as an option quarterback. His father, Errol Hood, was recruited by Brown and played defensive back at UNC from 1998-2001.