No. 5: Don McCauley

No. 5

Name: Don McCauley

Position: RB

Jersey #: 23

Years: 1968-70

Honors: 2-time ACC Player of the Year in 1969 and 1970; 1970 1st-team AP All-America and many more; Member of the College Football Hall of Fame; Named to the 50-year 50 Greatest ACC Players Ever team.

Notable Stats: 1,720 rushing yards in 1970 set a single-season college football record at the time; career 3,172 yards; Scored 19 touchdowns rushing and 2 receiving that season; 5.3 yards per carry on 603 attempts; ran for 1.092 yards in 1969; 3-year career 29 rushing touchdowns and 5 receiving scores;

In Closing: His combined 21 TDs in 1970 are a single-season mark that still stands at UNC. He broke O.J. Simpson’s national single-season rushing record in 1970. He also led the nation in all-purpose yards that season. McCauley was the first UNC running back to rush for 1,000 yards establishing (it’s been done 24 times now) an identity the program embraced and excelled employing for nearly the next 20 years.

More specifically, he was integral in Bill Dooley establishing a new culture within UNC football that led to ACC championships, national rankings and bowl games over a lengthy stretch like previously not experienced. The way he ran, the way he played, and the way he was such a huge part of that new culture and that McCauley helped make football matter again at Carolina are also reasons he belongs so high on this list.

Prior Ranked Heels

30 - Natrone Means

29 - Jack Merritt

28 - Landon Turner

27 - Chris Hanburger

26 - Jeff Saturday

25 - Bob Lacey

24 - Bracey Walker

23 - Ethan Horton

22 - Brian Blados

21 - Leon Johnson

20 - George Barclay

19 - Brian Simmons

18 - David Drechsler

17 - Dee Hardison

16 - Ken Huff

15 - Marcus Jones

14 - Harris Barton

13 - Greg Ellis

12 - Paul Severin

11 - Mike Voight

10 - Dre' Bly

9 - Andy Bershak

8 - Kelvin Bryant

7 - Lawrence Taylor

6 - William Fuller