this is how to manage great college running backs

[smazza]

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

At USC, it's tailback who?

Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times

Joe McKnight, who capped an up-and-down freshman season with a breakout performance in the Rose Bowl, is expected to take on an expanded role as a runner, receiver and returner this season.

Trojans appear to have ample depth at the position, unless injuries hit like last season. But with six qualified candidates, will there be enough carries to go around?

By Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

August 17, 2008

So many tailbacks, so little urgency.

The season opener at Virginia is less than two weeks away, but USC's coaching staff is in no hurry to designate a starter or a firm rotation at tailback.

Juniors Stafon Johnson and Allen Bradford, sophomores C.J. Gable and Joe McKnight and redshirt freshmen Broderick Green and Marc Tyler offer USC a variety of skill-sets and combinations. The challenge, once again, will be finding ways to deploy them and keep the peace.

Last season, Chauncey Washington made things easy for running backs coach Todd McNair. The fifth-year senior's talent and, perhaps more tellingly, his longevity in the program kept the younger backs from complaining about playing time.

"They deferred a lot because he was the big dog," McNair chuckled. "It makes it a little more difficult [this season]. . . . Hopefully we can find ways to make all of them happy."

Johnson is the Trojans' top returning runner, having rushed for 673 yards and nearly seven yards a carry last season. But the former Dorsey High star is all for spreading around the ball.

Johnson cites Auburn's Carnell Williams and Ronnie Brown, USC's Reggie Bush and LenDale White and Arkansas' Darren McFadden and Felix Jones as recent backfield combinations that showed that NFL opportunity and riches await those who share carries.

"There's no such thing as one back anymore in the NFL or in college," Johnson said. "I have no problem with a two-to-three-back system because it gives you weapons to throw at a defense and it makes it easier.

"Spread it around and get everybody work."

McKnight could get the most because Coach Pete Carroll and Sarkisian plan to expand his role, especially as a receiver.

The sophomore from Louisiana reported for training camp weighing 200 pounds, 20 more than last year. More important, McKnight appears to have grasped a system that he struggled to master in his first season before his breakout performance in the Rose Bowl.

His most dynamic play, perhaps not coincidentally, came off a bobbled lateral against Illinois.

"We probably went too far, too fast with him and slowed down his [comfort level] in the games," Carroll said. "Once he got settled in you saw what he could do."

McKnight, who wears No. 4, is aware that he is constantly compared to a Trojans tailback who wore No. 5. And though his freshman statistics were similar to Bush's first-year performance, McKnight said his personal goal this season is to avoid turnovers -- "not let the ball touch the grass."

Gable is not content to simply regain a spot in the rotation after abdominal surgery forced him to redshirt last season. The sophomore from Sylmar has never been afraid to publicly state that he covets the starting job.

In 2006, Gable became the first true freshman to start an opener at tailback for USC. He also started the first two games last season.

Still, the confident Gable is all for the mystery of training camp.

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  When you don't know, you just keep working hard," he said.

Bradford did all that and more during his first two seasons, becoming a special teams standout while pining for opportunities to carry the ball.

No. 12 Kansas: Chris Dufresne's top 25...USC tailbacks: A closer look

During spring practice, he showed he'd grasped the system and produced an electrifying, highlight-reel play nearly every workout. The trend has continued this month.

"[McNair] told me to do one real physical thing every day, so that's what I try to do," Bradford said.

Carroll has said that Green and Tyler are essentially starting over after redshirting as freshmen because of injuries.

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Green appears recovered from the broken foot he suffered in a training camp scrimmage last year. Tyler says he has finally regained the cutting ability he has lacked since suffering a broken left leg during his senior year at Westlake Village Oaks Christian High.

Now that they are sound of body, they must be sound of mind.

"With these young guys, they have to get out of the mind-set that they have to defer to the other four," McNair said.

In Sarkisian's view, the Trojans will need every one of the six tailbacks. And there apparently will be no rush to judgment about the order or combinations in which they will be deployed against Virginia.

"We're fortunate that we have the talent and depth we have," Sarkisian said. "But we've got a long way to go to the first game."

gary.klein@latimes.com

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USC tailbacks: A closer look

Thumbnail sketches of the six Trojans running backs who will be vying for playing time this season.

August 17, 2008

ALLEN BRADFORD

5 feet 11, 225 pounds

Junior

San Bernardino

* On the chart: Fits the mold of the power back but has the speed to break away, as he demonstrated almost daily during spring practice. Might be tough for him to crack the starting lineup, but he is forcing coaches' hand to play more.

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* Last year: An outstanding special teams player, he got only 15 carries but turned two of his three pass receptions into touchdowns.

* Highlight reel: Caught touchdown passes against Washington State and Notre Dame, but his greatest contribution has been his inspired play on special teams.

C.J. GABLE

6 feet, 200 pounds

Redshirt sophomore

Sylmar

* On the chart: Started five games as a freshman, including the 2006 opener, and the first two games last season before a lingering abdominal injury slowed him and ultimately required surgery. Does everything well, including pass block.

* Last year: Rushed for a team-high 68 yards against Idaho and had a 40-yard run against Nebraska, but his physical condition worsened against Washington State and he opted to redshirt.

* Highlight reel: Former Sylmar High star became USC's first true freshman tailback to start an opener two years ago against Arkansas, a testament to the consistency and work ethic he has exhibited from day one.

BRODERICK GREEN

6 feet 2, 235 pounds

Redshirt freshman

Little Rock, Ark.

* On the chart: Will have a hard time moving past the more experienced quartet of Joe McKnight, Stafon Johnson, Allen Bradford and C.J. Gable, but his powerful style could give the Trojans a dynamic short-yardage threat and possibly more.

* Last year: Was impressive during training camp scrimmages but a foot injury suffered during one of them ultimately required surgery and forced him to redshirt.

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Highlight reel: "He's a horse, dude. That guy trucks," former quarterback John David Booty said after Green averaged nearly eight yards a carry in a scrimmage last year. "You think he's going to be down and he just keeps going and going."

STAFON JOHNSON

5 feet 11, 215 pounds

Junior

Bellflower

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* On the chart: The former Dorsey High star, perhaps the Trojans' most instinctive runner, could assume a starting role now that the foot injury that slowed him last year is healed.

* Last year: Appeared on his way to a breakout season before he got hurt in the fourth game at Washington. He did not return to near full speed until the end of the season and rushed for 104 yards in the Rose Bowl.

* Highlight reel: Had a 144-yard effort against Nebraska that was tempered some after the Cornhuskers' defense was exposed, but there was no debating his power, speed and balance. He also eclipsed 100 yards rushing against Washington and Illinois.

JOE McKNIGHT

6 feet, 200 pounds

Sophomore

River Ridge, La.

* On the chart: The Trojans want to expand McKnight's role to something similar to the way Reggie Bush was deployed in 2004 -- as a running back, receiver and punt return specialist. He could wind up with the most touches among tailbacks.

* Last year: Mainly a backup, he averaged nearly six yards a carry. His 45-yard punt return and 59-yard run in the fourth quarter against Arizona set up a USC victory.

* Highlight reel: A 206-yard all-purpose effort in the Rose Bowl victory over Illinois put McKnight on Heisman Trophy watch lists for 2008. His spectacular 65-yard run after a bobbled lateral was his season in a nutshell.

MARC TYLER

6 feet, 220 pounds

Redshirt freshman

Lancaster

* On the chart: Appears to have recaptured the burst of speed that had been absent since he suffered a broken leg in high school. He is likely to get some opportunities if he can eliminate mistakes that plagued him in the spring scrimmage.

* Last year: The aftereffects of his broken left leg forced him to redshirt.

* Highlight reel: Son of former UCLA star Wendell Tyler showed flashes of his speed and breakaway acceleration during spring practice and has continued to impress in training camp.

--

Gary Klein

[Matt]

geez...even when you copy and paste an article its tough to read.  are you using a computer that is defaulted to the chinese language or something?

[USFMikeB]

geez...even when you copy and paste an article its tough to read.  are you using a computer that is defaulted to the chinese language or something?

That would explain a lot...

[BullMedic]

Yeah, I agree with Smazza on this point.

What I could decipher in my skimming of the article.