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Brooks, Martinek, Williams and Young show position has quality depth but no sure starter
BY MIKE VORKUNOV
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
RUTGERS PREVIEW: RUNNING BACKS
Coming into the 2009 season the Rutgers football team is facing a double conundrum. Not only is the team without a starting quarterback as camp began Monday, there is also no idea which running back whoever ends up starting under center will hand off to. That's right it looks like the '09 Scarlet Knights will be harangued by the dreaded "running back by committee" label.
Although the label may be a misnomer. Usually reserved for those teams that have quantity but no quality, Rutgers does not fit the bill. It has a bevy of options, returning the top four rushers from last season and bringing in one tantalizing freshman.
But finding a way for five players to share one ball and a load to carry may not be as difficult as it sounds. In fact this season may just end up like last season for Greg Schiano, when the running back spot ended up being decided by attrition.
Kordell Young is the top returning rusher, with 604 yards but he does not hold a grip on the starting role for several reasons. When given the chance last year, he proved ineffectual, lacking the burst and pop that had anointed him the heir apparent to Ray Rice. Of course it didn't help that Young was on his way back from tearing his ACL in 2007, and was seldom healthy long enough to hold onto the job. And he's still not healthy coming into training camp this season.Mason Robinson, believed to be Young's biggest rival last season, also was ineffective. He managed only a 3.4 yards-per-carry on 41 attempts in 2008. This preseason he is now working out as a wide receiver, hoping to give a very young corps some depth.
By midseason it became apparent that Jourdan Brooks and Joe Martinek were the best rushers Rutgers had to offer. Despite their efficiency, each rushed for upwards of five yards per carry, neither could gain a stranglehold on the starting position. But when given the opportunity collectively against Louisville, they combined for 198 yards on 29 carries.
Their biggest competition for carries will come from freshman D'Antwan Williams. According to Scout.com, Williams ran for more than 1,900 yards and 34 touchdowns as senior. The Woodbridge, Va. product has earned comparisons to a smaller Ray Rice.
BIG EAST: While there is no dominant ball carrier, Rutgers' rushing attack may still rank among the best in the conference as several of its stars left for the NFL or graduated. Last year's two top rushers, Connecticut's Donald Brown and Pittsburgh's LeShawn McCoy both left early for the NFL Draft and there are no replacements in the wings for either that look to be as potent.
West Virginia will return mighty mite Noel Devine, who rushed for 1,289 yards last season on 6.3 ypc, but quarterback Pat White will be in Miami as a member of the Dolphins and his replacement Jarrett Brown is more of a pocket passer than running threat as White was.
The best returning back in the Big East is Victor Anderson, who ran for 1,047 yards as a freshman last season and is primed for a breakout year thanks to a Louisville offense that will depend on him heavily.
UP NEXT: Wide receivers
OTHER PREVIEWS
Defensive backs
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