Aug. 4, 2008

By Sergio Tovar

After not having a clear starting running back last season, Carolina hopes Greg Little's emergence as a tailback against Georgia Tech and Duke last year will translate into a more productive and efficient backfield in 2008.

But Butch Davis knows that all the responsibility can't be placed on Little's shoulders.

"Greg Little has two games as a running back under his belt and I think everybody is extraordinarily excited about the potential and the possibility, but he's still got a long way to go," Davis said. "He's by no stretch of the imagination a finished, refined, polished running back - he's got a lot to learn."

Little, who played wide receiver for most of last season, hopes training camp will help develop the skills required to succeed at his position.

"With practice you're going to get better," he said. "With me being here with the running backs, I'll only progress even more."

Little, who rushed for 247 yards and two touchdowns during the last two games of 2007, is not shy to discuss his personal goals for the season.

"I'm here to give us that thousand-yard back that we've been missing for a while," he said.

Carolina's last 1000-yard rusher was Jonathan Linton in 1997. Sophomore Johnny White, who started eight games as running back last year and converted to cornerback during the spring, led the team with 399 yards last season.

Davis emphasized the importance of depth at the running back position and of the contribution that Ryan Houston, Devon Ramsay and Jamal Womble can have in 2008.

"There's no way in the world that we will make it through this season with just a significant contribution by one running back," he said. "We're going to need all of those guys at some given point in time during the season and potentially almost in every single ball game."

Sophomore Ryan Houston, who is quicker and stronger after losing more than 30 pounds in the offseason, hopes to take the No. 2 running back spot this season.

"I feel like I can run better," he said. "I feel like my vision is better than it was last year."

The Butler High School product played in seven games last season and finished fourth in rushing for the Tar Heels with 145 yards. He scored his only touchdown of the season against South Florida.

Houston hopes that the time he has spent in the weight room and the experience he has gained in the last year will allow him to contribute more to the team this season.

"I just want to get in the end zone a couple of times," he said. "I want my name to be up (in the video screen)."

Ramsay converted from fullback to running back while redshirting last year and will be looking for some playing time at his new position. He was ranked the No. 6 fullback in his class by Rivals.

Womble, a highly-recruited freshman, was ranked 13th among running backs in the country by Scout.com last year. Womble ran for 1,787 yards and scored 21 touchdowns as a senior at Buena High School.

Quarterback T.J. Yates compared Womble to rookie Baltimore Ravens and former Rutgers running back Ray Rice.

Houston said the competition for playing time has not affected the relationship between the running backs.

"We never just down each other, like `Man, I'm going to beat you,'" he said. "We're on the same team so we aren't really worried about that."

Yates hopes that the passing game will open up and benefit as a result of an improved running game.

"As a whole group they just look big and strong," he said. "I think they're going to do well."

Although the Tar Heels ranked 107th in rushing in the NCAA last season with only 1,190 yards, Little believes that he, along with his teammates, can turn that around so that UNC becomes known for its tailbacks.

"I want to keep us as Running Back U--the running back university."