SFA Fall Camp Report - Running Backs
8/17/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – There is no bigger question mark heading into the 2015 season than the void left in the Stephen F. Austin backfield. The Lumberjacks are faced with the daunting task of replacing all-time leading rusher Gus Johnson and his 1,700 yards and 23 touchdowns from 2014, en route to earning four All-America honors.
But for running back coach Jeremy Moses, its not something he’s losing sleep over at night.
“There is a lot of talk about how we’ll replace Gus, and obviously he played a huge part of our success last year,” Moses said. “But as a whole I think the group brings a lot of different options and can really be a dangerous unit heading forward.
A great deal of that confidence comes from three veterans who, although different in their styles, pose a threat for opposing defenses. Seniors Fred Ford and Cameron Washington and junior Joshawa West have all rotated snaps with both the first and second teams in practice, utilizing their unique abilities for a variety of situations.
Ford, a fifth year senior, had the most yards of the three in 2014, rushing for 150 yards and averaging over six yards per carry while West carried for 98 yards on 34 carries. Washington picked up 48 yards on 11 carries as the trio saw limited time behind Johnson, but each have taken advantage of opportunities through the first week of fall camp.
In addition to the returning trio, three other rushers have shown flashes of the talent that caught the eye of the coaches. Redshirt freshman Jacolby Whitaker has seen his reps increase, making strong cuts and quick bursts, along with true freshmen Loren Easly and Jordan Martinez who have both made key plays in timely situations.
The SFA running backs had arguably their best day of camp on Monday as the Lumberjacks took to the practice field twice. In the morning session on the grass practice field, the backs excelled in red zone situations, highlighted by impressive touchdown runs from West and Washington in the final periods.
The offense continued to click in the afternoon session at Homer Bryce Stadium as each of the Lumberjack rushers showed their abilities as playmakers. Ford’s size and physicality helped extend drives while Whitaker showed his speed, seeing an increased amount of reps.
The 2015 fall camp schedule continues on Tuesday with another morning practice as the Lumberjacks officially begin their second week. It will be the lone practice of the day, leading into SFA’s media day getting underway at 2 p.m. at Homer Bryce Stadium, complete with team and group pictures, promotional shots and video board material to be used throughout the 2015 season.
Q&A with Running Back Coach Jeremy Moses
On the progress of the running game through the first week of camp:
“They’ve responded very well. I’ve seen some explosiveness, and some faster cuts than we’ve seen in the past. These guys aren’t as thick as Gus (Johnson) was – they are more trimmed and have a lot of straight-line speed and can really plant that toe into the ground and make guys miss in a small space. All of them have also really shown their ability to catch a ball out of the backfield and make big plays downfield. There is a lot of talk about how we’ll replace Gus, and obviously he played a huge part of our success last year, but as a whole I think the group brings a lot of different options and can really be a dangerous unit heading forward.”
On the different styles of the three returning backs:
“Joshawa West is exciting and explosive. He is very fast and can do a lot of things. He’s got a great escapability and can catch the ball out of the backfield, and he’s tough to stop in the open field. Fred Ford is our bigger back and is probably the most physical we’ve got in the group. He gives us the ability to put his pads low and drive for three yards and can get those extra yards for us after contact. He’s a fifth-year senior so he’s got a lot of experience and we’re expecting him to play a big role for us. Cameron Washington is probably the most well-rounded back we’ve got, being able to be physical but also able to hit the hole fast and quick. He holds the single season record for rushing touchdowns at Corsicana so he knows how to find the endzone. He’s really good between the tackles and really has the ability to accelerate and get to the next level quickly.”
On how the three returners will balance playing time this fall:
“At this point, we like all three guys being able to compete with each other and battle it out, being that competition makes everyone better. Once we roll into the season I expect all three of them to have a role and play some key reps for us.”
On the Lumberjack newcomers:
“Jacolby Whitaker, the redshirt freshman we picked up out of Alto last year, has made some tremendous plays during both spring and fall camp. He’s shown some flash and has done some great things, and I’m expecting him to fit into his role later this season. The two freshmen we brought in, Loren Easly and Jordan Martinez, both are young but have a load of talent in them. We’re starting to see that each day as they keep picking up the offense that they are showing flashes of what they’re capable of. They will continue to get better and I’m looking forward to what they can do moving forward.”
On if the offensive playbook has changed with the departure of Gus Johnson:
“That’s probably been the biggest thing that has helped out this position is there is still the same emphasis on the run that we had last year. Just because we lost Gus doesn’t mean we’re going to change our offense. We’re still running the same plays so these veterans are familiar with our schemes and are ready to get out there and fill in with the contributions that we lost. They realize the challenge at hand but they’ve also stepped up and have faced it from the start and hopefully once September rolls around, all their hard work will pay off.”
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