Late last week, we wrote about how Auburn was poised for a great season on the ground, and how much that would benefit starting tailback Jeremiah Cobb. On Friday, Auburn running backs coach Larry Porter suggested that the wealth may be spread out more than we initially expected.
Specifically, he mentioned that one of the priorities of the Auburn offense will be to use "the whole room" this season. If this is indeed the case, Cobb may not reach the lofty expectations we set for him, but this would still be a good sign for Auburn's ground game.
How do the running backs stack up?
Based on reports from Friday's scrimmage, the hierarchy at tailback appears to be as follows:
Cobb is clearrly the top guy. He has continued to be the leader there since the arrival of the new coaching staff, and all intel indicates that he is adjusting well to the new offense at Auburn.
Behind Cobb is Omar Mabson II. He was Cobb's backup a year ago, but only carried the ball 16 times the entire season. That won't be the case now. Alex Golesh and Joel Gordon have always utilized multiple backs heavily in their offense, so Mabson should be poised for a season in which he sees a significantly increased role.
Bryson Washington also took a few first-team snaps on Friday, so he's starting to look like a key part of this tailback rotation as well. His spring was hampered by injuries, but he seems to have made up for lost time here in fall practice.
Another guy who has made some noise at the position is Alvin Henderson. Nykahi Davenport, who is also a factor in this group, was held out Friday with an injury, and Henderson took advantage, drawing the attention of Golesh.
For those keeping count, that's five guys who are vying to be big contributors at running back this year. If all five can stay healthy, that's a lot of fresh legs for this offense to throw at defenses. Combined with quarterback Byrum Brown, who carries the ball as often and as effectively as a tailback, this could be a truly dangerous running game.
None of these guys can do anything without a strong offensive line, but it's encouraging to know just how many guys are prepared to step up and carry the rock heading into the season.
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