UNC football at midseason: Omarion Hampton, bad defense and Mack Brown's future

North Carolina football is in a tailspin at the midpoint of the 2024 season.

After winning their first three games, the Tar Heels (3-3, 0-2 ACC) have lost three in a row and are tied for last place in the ACC.

Things are bleak in Chapel Hill for a squad that surrendered 70 points to James Madison, blew a 20-point lead at Duke and lost to Pitt at Kenan Stadium for the first time in program history.

'Scary moment' for NC State QB

Head coach Mack Brown is in the sixth season in his second stint with the Tar Heels , who are 2-8 in their last 10 games against FBS opponents, including a 1-6 mark in the ACC.

“We said all the time, we’re going to be a team that gets better at the end of the year, and we are. We’re playing better teams. Pittsburgh’s the best team we’ve played by far, and we had our chances,” Brown said after the 34-24 loss to Pitt in Week 6.

“What we’ve got to do is send a positive message to them. … I told the guys in there, it’s a great learning experience for us, and what you’ve got to do is your focus has to be stronger than the distractions around you. That’s part of growing up.”

Looking at the last six games of the regular season, things won’t get easier for UNC as it chases bowl eligibility. The Heels host Georgia Tech on Saturday before hitting the road in three of their next four games (at Virginia, at Florida State and at Boston College).

A pair of Tobacco Road rivals, Wake Forest (Nov. 16) and N.C. State (Nov. 30), round out the schedule. The regular-season finale against the Wolfpack could be for a bowl bid.

Here are three observations about the Tar Heels halfway through the 2024 regular season.

Omarion Hampton is UNC football’s MVP, arguably top running back in nation

It’s not all bad for the Tar Heels. UNC has seen a player rush for at least 100 yards in each of the first six games for the first time since 1983. Star running back Omarion Hampton has accounted for five of those performances and is third nationally with 764 rushing yards. But, like they did with a pair of all-time great UNC quarterbacks in Sam Howell and Drake Maye, the Heels appear to be wasting the gift of a generational running back in Hampton.

Tar Heels’ defense dealing with same problems

No matter the defensive coordinator or the promise of changes on that side of the ball, it seems UNC’s defense is stuck in the mud. Explosive plays and missed tackles have become consistent issues, starting with Jay Bateman before continuing with Gene Chizik and now Geoff Collins. In its last seven ACC games, UNC has allowed an average of 35.3 points per game. Overall, UNC is 93rd in total defense, one spot worse than East Carolina. Out of 134 FBS programs, the Tar Heels are 129th in penalties. Those miscues aren't all on the defense, but that’s where most of the problems continue to pop up.

Mack Brown’s uncertain future with Tar Heels

Step away before the end of the season, stick with the Tar Heels in an attempt to turn things around or leave things in the hands of athletic director Bubba Cunningham at the end of the year. All options seem to be on the table for UNC, which appears to have reached a stalemate in Brown's second stint. Every week, it feels more and more likely that change is inevitable in Chapel Hill. With the losses adding up, all signs continue to track toward a reset and fresh start in 2025.

Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: UNC football at midseason: Omarion Hampton, bad defense and Mack Brown's future