Spring Retrospective: Who Will Emerge as OSU’s No. 2 Tailback?

As we continue our Spring Retrospective, we look to the Cowboys’ emerging running game and who might backup Justice Hill.

Summary

For the first time in four years, Oklahoma State boasted a 1,000-yard rusher in 2016. And it probably wasn’t who everyone expected. Ground game savior-to-be Barry J. Sanders could not take the starting position. Neither could fellow seniors Chris Carson or Rennie Childs. It was a true freshman from Tulsa, Oklahoma that was the first to follow up Joe Randle’s quadruple-digit rushing effort.

Now, with Justice Hill firmly set as the No. 1 option (and rehabbing from offseason shoulder surgery) the spring provided opportunity for a couple of backs to stand out and hopefully provide some evidence that they deserved snaps moving forward.

Last season, OSU running backs attempted 381 rushes. Hill accounted for 206 of those with Chris Carson the clear No. 2 at 82 attempts while missing four straight games due to injury. Hill’s touches should stay at least that high. Whoever ends up as his backup could probably be closer to the 100 range depending on how long it takes to solidify and if health isn’t an issue. The Cowboys may use some additional rushing attempts on Mason Rudolph this year, as well.

The position group is one of the youngest on Oklahoma State’s roster. Hill is the star as a true sophomore. Behind him you have one junior, one redshirt senior and two redshirt freshmen. Add the two incoming freshmen this fall and your average D-I experience at tailback is one year.

Here’s a look at the four backs that took part in the spring game and how they stacked up, ranked by touches.

Unfortunately, the spring game lacked a lot to really glean from but the snap count should give us some insight into the current pecking order heading into the summer.

Carr, the upperclassman, predictably got the most touches but speedster La’Darren Brown had the best ground-game showing during the exhibition. He also added two catches for 13 yards and a receiving touchdown on a Mason Rudolph scramble.

Camp Star

While Carr is the elder statesman in the room and will garner early trust from the coaching staff, I think Brown has the opportunity to make waves in fall camp — and not just because of the spring game.

He clocked a 4.43 40-yard dash time and has the elusiveness to contribute both in the ground game and could figure in as an option in the return game.

Brown came in with Justice Hill last year as the other running back but was due for a redshirt year to work on his body. Now after putting on nearly 20 pounds, the DeSoto High School (Dallas, Texas) product should have every chance to compete for meaningful reps.

The question, like with all of these young backs, is pass protection. And I’m not sure there will be one RB on the roster that instills a ton of confidence in the coaching staff that regard by September.

Projected Depth Chart

The precedent is there for a “LD” to leapfrog Carr if he can make plays. Gundy is not afraid to play his young guys. Hill beat out four upperclassmen for the starting spot last year.

Carr may start fall camp as Hill’s backup, but I could see Brown breaking into the No. 2 role early in the season. A lot will also depend on how ready to contribute incoming freshmen J.D. King and Chuba Hubbard are.