Gone are the days of the composite tailback.
College football no longer lends itself to a do-it-all, one-man show in the backfield. As is becoming commonplace, programs tend to rely on a revolving door of running backs.
At UNM, the philosophy is in play.
“We have a pitching staff,” said running backs coach Darrell Dickey, speaking about his four diverse tailbacks, all of whom could see playing time this season.
As it stands, the Lobos’ rotary system worked convincingly last season. Four tailbacks had at least 50 carries, the most productive tailback being Demond Dennis, who finished with 427 yards, three touchdowns and a 5.5 yards-per-attempt average. Not far behind, though, James Wright gained 320 yards on 28 less carries, while scoring a pair of touchdowns — his 84-yard touchdown scamper against Air Force as the Lobos’ longest play from scrimmage.
Also in the mix were Kasey Carrier and A.J. Butler. Butler switched positions this spring — perhaps partly out of necessity — since the Lobos needed to shore up their shallowness at safety, but just as conceivably because he was pigeonholed on the running back depth chart.
Further complicating the matter, Kasey scrapped his redshirt midseason in 2009, affording him time to learn head coach Mike Locksley’s offense as well as the intricacies of Division-I football.
“Players are a lot smarter (at this level),” Carrier said. “Linebackers know they’re not as fast as you, so they play with their head and not their feet. When you see a 6’6” 250-pound linebacker coming at you, you’re dancing in the backfield. You know you have to go and get out of there.”
But Dickey said it’s an encouraging problem to have.
“We want production out of the position. If it’s one guy or four, it makes no difference to me,” he said.
It was especially useful to have during Saturday’s scrimmage at University Stadium.
Running backs Wright and Carrier were nicked by minor injuries. Wright was bothered by a sprained thumb; Carrier, meanwhile, sprained his ankle on a seven-yard touchdown run — his only carry of the day. Dickey said feature back Dennis got “wore down,” having to shoulder a surplus of carries in the two other tailbacks’ absence.
In their places, Terence Brown carried the ball 29 times for 99 yards and three touchdowns, working himself back into contention for the starting tailback position after being lost early last spring because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
The encouraging play comes at a time when Locksley has re-emphasized the epitome of Lobo football: running the ball.
And, boy, does UNM have a stable of versatility.
Whoever is carrying the ball, Dickey said each brings a different dimension to the Lobos’ backfield. Dennis and Carrier are multi-purpose backs who can catch balls out of the backfield and have the ability to nullify negative plays by making something out of nothing with nifty footwork, Dickey said.
Then, Dickey said, the Lobos have a change-of-pace back in Wright.
“James is a big, strong guy. He’s obviously deceptively fast when he gets out in the open field,” Dickey said. “He’s got the ability to outrun people. You see a big guy, and you don’t know that he’s got that kind of speed. But he’s a very good downhill runner.”
The “downhill runner” label perhaps hints at why Wright didn’t see as many carries while other backs struggled early in the season. The traditional knock on “downhill runners,” be it fair or not, is that they are limited skill-wise, lacking the shiftiness needed to elude defenders.
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That, however, isn’t how Wright sees it. He openly stated he didn’t work as hard as he could have last year, a possible explanation as to why Locksley and company stuck with Dennis in the midst of his struggle to hold onto the ball.
Dickey countered, saying that he’s never had a problem with Wright’s practice habits.
“I don’t necessarily know his work ethic — as much as maybe when you’re not sure when you’re learning an offense. It’s sometimes, as you’re playing, you’re thinking at the same time as opposed to it all just happening naturally,” Dickey said. “So, you don’t look like you’re going quite full speed.”
As of Friday, Wright seemed to grasp the concepts at a higher level, but it’s still unknown how much Saturday’s injury will affect him, if at all. The good thing, Wright said, is that it’s still spring.
“I feel like I’ve been doing a good job,” Wright said. “I should have a chance to start and, if not, get a lot of playing time this season.”
