Three running backs have stood out this spring — D.J. Knox, Richie Worship and Tario Fuller — which presents position coach Chris Barclay with a good situation.
Especially true when considering that two others, Markell Jones and Brian Lankford-Johnson, Purdue's two leading rushers last season, are also on the roster, although they're sitting out right now due to injury.
Following is a Q&A with Barclay following Wednesday's practice:
Gold and Black: What do you like about your group?
Barclay: “I like the versatility. I feel like we have a lot of different tools in that toolbox, a lot of different types of players. And I feel like the group, it learns pretty well and they digest information and it transitions from the classroom to the field. With that type of attitude and that type of work ethic, we’ll be OK in that position.”
Q: Why is the versatility important?
Barclay: “It’s a long season. These days, you rarely see one guy do everything and play the whole season. The position is such a rugged position. You’re getting hit every snap, whether it’s blitz protection or short-yardage situations, where you’re seeing multiple hits. And if you have a lot of different guys who can do a lot of different things, it gives you a lot of versatility for play-calling with Coach (Jeff) Brohm and as a position coach, we can do a lot of different things, as far as between the tackles, off-tackle and in the passing and screen game, so the versatility is big.”
Gold and Black: Can you do different things to get them the ball in different situations?
Barclay: “Absolutely. Absolutely. Coach Brohm is a fantastic play-caller and he utilizes his personnel better than anybody I know. We kind of play to our strengths, but right now with the running back group, we feel pretty good about where we are. We still have to improve every day. We have a couple guys injured right now, but I feel good about where the group is headed.”
Gold and Black: When you have a deeper group, it just gives opportunities to others when a couple guys — Jones and Lankford-Johnson — are out with injury, right?
Barclay: “That’s right. One of the unique things is that when you have that many options, it gives the other guys a chance to grow and learn and develop. I think that group has done so. Tario Fuller is one of them — Richie Worship is another — who has really blossomed these last couple weeks with the increased amount of reps. Those kids have grown exponentially and I’m excited about where this unit is. I tell these guys I don’t need 117 backs, I just need a few guys who are ready to go to work and be soldiers for me. And so I’m excited about the group that we have, want to get those guys back healthy but a the same time, the show is going to go on.”
Q: Is the group getting better in pass protection?
Barclay: “They’ve gotten a lot better. I think we’re working on the fundamentals every day, honing the fundamentals, and we go against our linebackers every day in one-on-one drills and Coach Holt does a great job coaching those guys up, so they give us a great look. I think that we’re really, every day, gotten a little bit better, and that’s the whole goal, as the position coach, to make sure the unit gets better every day.
“We’re physical, it’s just that sometimes, we kind of have undisciplined eyes and we have to continue to work on those things.”
Gold and Black: What did you like about Lankford-Johnson before the hamstring injury?
Barclay: “Immediately, you notice the speed and explosiveness. Right now, Tario has shined a whole lot, but Brian Lankford-Johnson, those guys raced right before spring ball and I think Brian beat him by a nose hair. But it showed up. When he was out there, when he saw a hole, he was going full speed. There’s not many guys in this program who can run like him, it’s just a matter of playing tougher between the tackles, that’s what I’ve been stressing with him.”
Gold and Black: If you get everyone to their potential, do you have enough footballs?
Barclay: “That’s a good problem to have. We certainly are going to explore some different things positionally and with some different personnel groupings. We can get maybe a couple, two or three, of those guys on the field at the same time, because like you said, you want to utilize your best players and we feel good about that group right now.”
Gold and Black: Flex them out?
Barclay: “We could. Tario, he’s working on his hands. I was on him today a little bit, but he’s typically pretty good at catching the football. D.J. has pretty good hands. Richie has soft hands, and even Keyante (Green) can catch. Markell might have the best hands of the group, he’s just not been out here. That group, we certainly can flex them out. We do some things, we motion them out and can get them out in the passing game.”
