CHAPEL HILL — Coach Mack Brown said his North Carolina football players erupted in a standing ovation during a team meeting earlier this week, when he revealed that British Brooks has decided to return next season for his fifth year in the program.
If the last two games are an indication of what’s to come, cheering reactions could become a common occurrence for the senior Brooks, a former walk-on with the Tar Heels.
“I mean the room just went crazy,” Brown said Wednesday, “because they love British Brooks, and what a wonderful story. I’ve never seen anybody happier than when I talked to him Sunday. He is so excited about the bowl game and moving forward.”
Brooks, a North Carolina special teams ace and reserve running back through the years, had totaled just 10 rushing yards across the first 10 games of this season, before breaking out for 213 yards and two touchdowns as part of his two-game burst to end the regular season.
He ran for 89 yards and two touchdowns on seven carries against Wofford, scoring from 38 and 14 yards out, and then supplied a career-high 124 yards on 15 carries at rival North Carolina State.
Brooks ripped off gains of 40, 16, 23 and 21 yards against the Wolfpack as the backup to starter Ty Chandler, surprising production that helped the Tar Heels churn out 297 rushing yards on an N.C. State defense that had been ranked No. 17 nationally against the run.
“He’s the best special teams guy we’ve got,” North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell said that night in Raleigh, “and that’s just a credit to how much he puts into it. He loves the game and he just stays ready. He had to play some just because of injuries to some other guys, and he just kind of took that opportunity and ran with it.
“We all know what British is capable of, so it’s just a matter of him getting an opportunity. He got that opportunity, and he definitely made the most of it. So I’m super proud of British. I love that guy to death.”
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North Carolina (6-6) meets South Carolina (6-6) on Dec. 30 in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, a matchup that brings Chandler’s one-year stay with the Tar Heels to a close. Chandler, the Tennessee graduate transfer, ranks third among Atlantic Coast Conference rushers in yards (1,063) and touchdowns (13) on the season.
The return of Brooks, who’s out of Ashbrook High School in Gastonia, figures to make him the veteran of North Carolina’s running back group next season. Sophomore D.J. Jones (253 rushing yards in nine games) mostly has backed up Chandler this season, and freshmen Caleb Hood (97 yards in five games) and Elijah Green (39 yards in four games) have contributed in spots. Kamarro Edmonds, another freshman, also could be in the running back mix next year. He hasn’t carried this season.
Brooks has chipped in six tackles on special teams this season, including one stop against Wofford and two at N.C. State, all while he was putting together his promising rushing performances.
“We tried to take him out of the game on special teams the other night,” Brown said Wednesday of the N.C. State game, “because he was playing so much in the game at running back, and he absolutely refused. He would not come off.”
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Brooks has compiled 17 career tackles in college and 389 rushing yards on 60 attempts, an average of 6.5 yards per carry. He blocked a punt against Georgia State in September, during North Carolina’s home opener this season. He earned Special Teams Most Valuable Player honors last season with the Tar Heels.
After former standouts Michael Carter and Javonte Williams opted out of playing in the Orange Bowl last season in order to begin preparing for the NFL Draft, Brooks became a first-time starter at running back for North Carolina. He picked up 53 yards on 15 carries against Texas A&M that night.
“We struggled some in the Orange Bowl last year running the ball against A&M and they’re a great defense,” Brown said Wednesday, “but he looked like he gained so much confidence against Wofford. And then we saw the same thing against N.C. State. He looked fast, he looked powerful. He can catch the ball, he’s a great blocker.
“So I think he can be a force in that running back room moving forward, and like Ty Chandler was the older guy that came in from Tennessee last year, I think British will be that guy. And we need to do a better job of having a great leader in every unit, and there’s no question British Brooks will be a great leader.”
Adam Smith is a sports reporter for the Burlington Times-News and USA TODAY Network. You can reach him by email at asmith@thetimesnews.com or @adam_smithTN on Twitter.
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This article originally appeared on Times-News: Former walk-on British Brooks rides late-season breakout into return for fifth year at UNC
