Offseason Part 4: Running Backs

Today, a look at the running backs.

Marcus Thigpen 5'9" 190 Senior to be:

Marcus had a very up and down year in terms of health and production. Last season, Marcus was used primarily as a returner and at WR, but the staff wanted to utilize his amazing 4.3 speed, so they wanted to get the ball in his hands much more often, so he was moved to RB full time. Coming to IU he had been a WR, RB, CB, and a returner, but had never been asked to carry the load on offense, and I think this year was a rude awakening for him in terms of the preparation that you need to do in order to take more of pounding in the fall. A look at Marcus's stats from 2006 shows that he ran the ball 98 times for 387 yards and 2 TDs. He also caught 18 passes for 180 yards and 2 TDs, and he made the most impact as a returner with 24 kickoff returns for 723 yards (30 yard avg.) and 3 TDs including 1 for 100 yards.

This season's numbers show him running 138 times for 568 yards and 0 TDs, 21 catches for 181 yards and 3 TDs, and 18 returns for 453 yards (23 yard avg) and 0 TDs. His body simply didn't hold up to the pounding it took to run between the tackles 10 to 15 times a game. He explosiveness was pretty much non-existant, and he was inactive for 1 entire game and played sparingly in a couple of others.

This coming season that staff is really after Marcus to get his mind and body ready for a 13 game season. The staff really likes him at RB and for now, he's the first team guy there. His pro potential makes him a returner who could be a 3rd down back to use that speed to throw too or even run a little. The staff would like to see Marcus add about 5 pounds of upper body muscle and still maintain the quicks. He did perform very well the last couple of games at RB and has a laot of potential there.

Personally the biggest thing at RB right now will be Darius Willis and whether he can come in and win or at least get the majority of the carries this fall. If he can, Marcus will move all over the place on offense and be that versitale player. If Darius can't, we are back to where we were this season with Marcus coming in and others filling in.

Demetrius McCray 5'11" 195 redshirt junior to be:

Demetrius's season was wrecked by injury from the word go, however he was able to play in 3 games which will probably cost the staff the chance to get a medical RS out of him. In 2006, Demetrius showed a lot of promise running 88 times for 361 yards and 2 TDs. He also caught 8 passes for 69 yards and 2 TDs.

This season, he came in as the #2 RB with the idea being he'd get around 10 carries or so a game to spell Marcus. However, he got hurt with a variety of different things and his final numbers show him with 22 carries for 154 yards and 0 TDs and 1 catch for 0 yards. Demetrius appears to be fairly healthy, so I expect a big spring from him. He's more of a complete back than Marcus and is still a good pass catcher out of the backfield. IMO, he would have taken the starting RB job from Marcus by the middle of the season if it wasn't for the injuries. Hopefully things can fall into place for him and he can be utilized this fall as the 2nd string RB.

Bryan Payton 5'9" 210 redshirt junior to be:
Bryan hasn't really had that much of a chance before this season to show what he could do, but this season, with the injuries to Marcus and Demetrius, he was able to show the staff and fans a little of what he could on the field. While he's probably most famous for his internet blog and his deep Christian faith, it's pretty evident that Bryan has a lot of talent, but he's buried on the depth chart. Bryan is a little bit of a bowling ball type of runner. He's not as fast as Marcus or Demetrius, but he's quick enough and certainly strong enough to absorb a hit and keep on going. This past season, with the injuries to the RBs and the lack of beef on the OL, Bryan's style of running was just what this offense needed in a few games.

In 2006, Bryan 15 times for 36 yards and 0TDs and didn't caught any passes in mop up duty in 7 games. This season, his stats were 90 rushes for 381 yards and 4 TDs and 12 receptions for 70 yards and 0 TDs.

This spring I expect Bryan to see a lot of carries and he will be competing once again with Marcus and Demetrius. Bryan is one of my favorite players on this team and he's certainly a leader on and off the field.

Trea Burgess 6'1" 220 redshirt sophmore to be:
Trea is a walk on at IU and due to the injuries to the top 3 RBs, he actually saw some game action and didn't disappoint all that much. He's a bruiser, plain and simple, but he's got some talent to play and he was a nice change of pace here and there last season. This season he ran 18 times for 77 yards and 1 TD and caught 1 pass for 14 yards.

This spring, I expect to see Trea a little heavier and doing spot duty at Fullback. While I'm not sure how much we will use a FB, if we need to, it will either be Dedmond or Burgess or maybe another of the OL guys.

Josiah Sears 6' 250 graduated:
Josiah was another walk on that bled cream and crimson. He was mainly useds as a FB early in his career, but got to carry the ball some the past couple of seasons as IU mainly had scatbacks on their roster. Josiah was truly one of the team leaders this past season, and while his yardage can easily be replaced, his leadership will be difficult.

Josiah was your typical hard-nosed walk on who put forth max effort every play, every practice. This season he racked up 36 carries for 114 yards and 4 TDs (the first of his career at IU) and he also caught 14 passes for 150 yards and 2 TDs. His production this season was much needed in a couple of games and he's another of my favorite players that has every played at IU.

As for Josiah's future, not much has been said, though I would expect him to attempt a pro career as a Fullback.

Zach Davis-Walker 5'8" 180 redshirt freshman to be:
Zach redshirted this season as he came to IU from Plantation, FL. Coach Hep and Coach Lynch have also liked this small scatbacks that can turn the corner and change the game with a long TD run. The problem for IU is that the OL hasn't always provided that opportunity to do that very much and the small scatbacks have struggled.

Last season, while on the scout team, mimicing the other team's top RB and running behind a much bigger OL than the starting OL, Zach showed a ton of potential. He was named scout team offensive player of week several times and the staff believes that he can come in and play some this fall. I will be interested to see how he looks this spring. He'll come in 4th string, but I'm going to bet he moves above that by the end of the spring.

Shawn Winston 5'10" 200 redshirt freshman to be:
Shawn has walked on at IU and redshirted this season. Shawn played his HS ball at South Bend Adams and has many opportunities to play D1 AA football or lower, but chose to come to IU and walk on. Though he hasn't gotten a whole lot of work since he's gotten here, the staff believes that in time, he can earn some. He's pretty quick and fast, so we'll see what he can do this spring and beyond.

Also, RB has obviously been a huge position this recruiting season as IU has potential gotten 4 verbals at this positon, though I'm pretty confident that some will move to other positions. I won't break down these kids too much, as that's for a later blog, but I will predict where they will be come spring ball.

1. Darius Willis-6' 215 and runs a low 4.6 to high end 4.5. Darius is the biggest RB recruit to come to IU in a decade and many believe that he could easily come in and start, and at the very worst, get the majority of the carries by season's end. Obviously, he'll stay at RB.

2. Alex Hunt-6' 200 and runs a high end 4.4. Alex was hurt most of this season, but the 2 games he played in, he did very well. I expect Alex to stay at RB and redshirt next season. Though lightly regarded, he showed in 2006 that he had a ton of potential with several SEC schools looking at him.

3. Shane Covington-6' 180 and runs a very low end 4.5. Shane is very versitale, as he played RB, WR, CB, and returner this season. I truly expect Shane to move to either the defensive side of the ball, probably CB. He was recruited at RB though, but I don't think IU is going to keep 3 guys there, or at least in my opinion, they should not. Shane will be redshirted to gain weight, but I really do think he's a CB for us down the road.

4. Chad Sherer-6' 200 and runs a low end 4.6. Chad was recruited as an OLB, so he will be moving. The only question with him appears to be when he gets here. He was hurt this fall in football and healed up, but did more damage to his knee playing basketball and has now had surgery. There has been talk of a grayshirt possibility, since his knee won't be 100% yet by fall ball, but there is nothing official on that decision yet. Chad had a very good career in HS as a RB, but he's definitly going defense whenever he gets to IU.

I could also name Cortez Smith here, but it's pretty obvious that he's going to come to IU as a DB, though he was intially ranked by Scout and Rivals as a RB. Smith is expect to be either a CB or SS at IU.

IU still has an offer out to Isiash Pead from Columbus, OH. IU hosted him in December and he had a decent time. He wants to be a RB and currently has Pitt as his leader. IU recruited him as a RB, but really did want to switch him to CB, so they can utilize his high end 4.3 speed. My thoughts are he'll end up at either Pitt or Cincinnati. I don't think IU is going to get him.

Next time, I'll take a look at the WR and TEs

GOD BLESS!