By R.L. Bynum
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The game’s turning point came on a simple screen pass.
True freshman Demon June caught the ball near the line of scrimmage, slipped one defender, stiff-armed safety Braheem Long and accelerated down the left sideline for a 72-yard touchdown run that gave North Carolina its first second-half lead against a power conference opponent since last November.
“That was great,” UNC coach Bill Belichick said. “He stiff-armed [a defender] and got another 30 or 40 yards. He did a real good job finishing the touchdown on the toss play. Gets the pads down and ran through the goal line. When you see guys make plays with the ball in their hands and are hard to tackle, it gets everybody fired up.”
The score came just 94 seconds into the second half and ignited a 21-point surge as UNC snapped a four-game losing streak with a 27–10 win Friday night at Syracuse.
June finished with 173 total yards — 101 rushing on 13 carries and 72 receiving yards on two catches — and two touchdowns, outgaining Syracuse. It was the best game of his freshman year and the first with multiple scores. It was the kind of breakout performance Carolina needed.
His first big moment came late in the second quarter. With UNC trailing by seven points and struggling to finish drives, June burst through the line for a 44-yard run, flipping field position and setting up a field goal that trimmed the deficit to 10–6 at halftime. It was the longest run of his young career and a preview of what was to come.
“When you practice those plays so much, it just becomes second nature,” June said. “Big shout out to the O-line. They’re the ones who got that play going, blocking downfield and putting me in position to do what I did.”
Belichick praised June’s toughness and versatility while cautioning against premature hype.
“He’s had some good games and he’s a good back,” Belichick said. “It’s too early to get the bus ready for the Hall of Fame. But he works hard. He does a good job. He’s getting better. We’ll see where it goes. Glad we have him, and he’s certainly taking advantage of his reps in both the running game and passing game. He needs to improve his blitz pickup and refine some other skills, but he’s been a big plus for us.”
June’s ability to create yards after contact has been a hallmark of his game and what UNC was used to last season from Omarion Hampton.
“Run hard, protect the ball, fall forward at all costs,” he said when asked about his approach. “And credit to the O-line for putting me in those positions.”
For a team that had been haunted by missed opportunities, June’s performance was important as UNC tries to work through the heartbreak of the losses to California and Virginia that came by inches.
“It was really important to break through,” June said. “We’ve been so close the last couple weeks. Tonight, we finally got over that hump. It feels good to showcase all the hard work.”
Belichick echoed that sentiment, calling the win “a good team effort” and noting that June’s big plays energized the sideline.
“When you see guys make plays like that, it gets everybody going,” he said.
UNC hopes Friday night was a glimpse of the future. For now, June’s combination of speed, power, and poise gave the Tar Heels their first ACC win of the Belichick era — and a reason to believe the offense can keep producing big plays.
Photo via @UNC_Football
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