After a stagnant ground game nearly derailed North Carolina’s season opener, Benjamin Hall vows the Bobby Petrino rushing attack will find its rhythm before a looming showdown with Clemson.
It wasn't pretty, but the defense did enough for North Carolina to squeeze out a 15-10 victory over TCU in Dublin, Ireland, in Week 0.
The new-look offense under Bobby Petrino needs some work after the Horned Frogs kept UNC to 322 yards in wet conditions.
Quarterback Billy Edwards had a solid debut for the Tar Heels, throwing for 232 yards but no touchdowns or interceptions.
One of the hallmarks of a Petrino-led offense is a robust rushing attack, something that was not on display in Week 0. UNC rushed 29 times for 90 yards and a score.
On Monday, UNC running back Benjamin Hall addressed concerns about the running game, saying the offense was going to get better in that area.
"Yeah, I think just continuing to grow as a team," Hall said, via Sports Illustrated. "I think we're going to be alright in the running game. I'm not worried about it.
"I think we showed we can run the ball when we needed to...We sputtered in Week 1, but it's stuff you're going to see in Week 1."
Hall was North Carolina's leading rusher against TCU, adding 36 yards on 11 carries with his best carry for 11 yards. He earned 71 carries for 274 yards and two touchdowns for UNC last season.
Hall believes the offensive line is good enough for a strong rushing attack.
"I guess we'll continue to see that, but I feel confident about the guys in front of me, and I think we're just continuing to learn the offense and learn the plays together," Hall said.
"I don't think there's any doubt that we're going to continue to go out and put good stuff on tape in the run game.
North Carolina will have a chance to experiment with the offense when they host East Tennessee State on Saturday. UNC needs to see improvement out of the offensive line, with its running backs using space to make plays against inferior competition.
That should help the Tar Heels gain confidence before playing Clemson in Week 3. Given the Tigers' play in the trenches against LSU, North Carolina could have a strong running day on Sept. 19.
