Romar Morris and A.J. Blue take charge

When you add a Romar Morris to an A.J. Blue, does the sum equal a Giovani Bernard?

With the record-breaking tailback beginning to make waves for the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals, North Carolina’s offense hopes the efforts of Morris and Blue can provide a ground attack as potent as the threat Bernard posed last season.

But perhaps that’s not a fair question. After all, Blue and Morris both played crucial roles alongside Bernard last season.

Morris is a redshirt sophomore who spent his freshman season returning punts, blocking kicks and picking up yardage in all sorts of ways.

Blue is a redshirt senior who recently turned 24. Injuries and other adversity have prolonged his stay at UNC.

This season he and his teammates hope his experience will anchor the otherwise youthful backfield.

Freshmen runners Khris Francis and T.J. Logan are falling into the supporting roles Morris and Blue occupied last season, and the older backs have taken it upon themselves to make sure the freshman duo will be prepared to step up when the time comes.

It’s been clear since the spring that the task of filling Bernard’s shoes will fall to Morris and Blue.

“(Bernard) was a great player, he was a game-breaker, but Blue and Romar have been there, they’ve had plenty of time themselves, and I trust those guys to get the job done,” senior offensive lineman James Hurst said.

Blue’s nine rushing touchdowns were second only to Bernard’s 12 last season. Morris rushed for two scores last season Page 3 under rushing. Bernard 12, Blue 9, Morris 2., but after impressive performances in the spring game and preseason practices, the Salisbury, NC native has emerged this season as Blue’s equal in competition for Bernard’s job.

“I think Romar has been the guy that’s really stepped up out there,” coach Larry Fedora said on his weekly radio show last spring.

But regardless of who lines up for the opening snap in Columbia, S.C. on Thursday UNC’s first game is against USC on Thursday August 29 in Columbia, S.C., Hurst said he and the rest of the Tar Heels know it will take the combined, complementary efforts of Blue and Morris to achieve the desired result — an ACC championship.

“Blue is a veteran, he’s hard-nosed, he’s really going to run downhill and get the tough yards that you need—third and short, third and goal, whatever,” Hurst said.

“Romar, he’s kind of your home run. You look up and he’s in the endzone. I think it’s great that we’re going to have two backs like that working together.”

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