More on the running backs

Today’s game preview is devoted to UC Davis’ running back situation, which, on the continuum of circumstances, is located somewhere between not-optimal and dire. It’s not so much this year’s team, but rather the next two seasons that should have Bob Biggs and his staff concerned. They have done a good job of finding potential impact players for that position group. But there will have very little experience. Maybe that’s overrated, but I don’t think so.

Look at how things stand at tight end this year, a position group where the program went from graybeard to super-green in a single graduation ceremony. Now, even with scaled back responsibilities, those players are still trying to find their way in UCD’s offense. That’s not a huge deal given the emergence of Chris Carter and, to a lesser extent, Brandon Rice in the passing game, but it may be down the road.

As it says in today’s paper, Marcus Nolan will start, which is a nice story. Nolan fought his way back from a knee injury and has been pretty impressive all season. Nolan was one of three seniors at running back entering the season n Nelson Doris and Alex Garfio were the other two. UCD’s plan was to play Nolan, Doris and sophomore Demario Warren, while redshirting Garfio. That way you would have a senior and a junior to anchor the group next year. That script was scrubbed less than week into fall camp. With his foot not responding to treatment, Doris and Garfio swapped places. And everything may still work out. But you can never be sure with injuries like that.

“Now we have three freshmen (alphabetically: Marquise Lawrence, Joe Trombetta, P.J. Vallier), in the program and no experience for next year,” Aggie coach Bob Biggs said. “Nelson may be able to play, but we won’t know that until the spring.”

UCD is extremely high on those three freshmen. But Biggs probably will be reticent to hand over the keys to the backfield to them immediately. If Doris isn’t available, Warren may be asked to start next season. Warren impressed me last year, walking into a difficult situation and doing everything that was asked of him. It’s not clear to me, however, whether the Aggie staff projects him to be a starter long-term. That doesn’t mean much right now, because UCD’s coaches readily admit they don’t project a lot of things that end up happening. I wouldn’t be surprised to see UCD bring in a junior college player just to bridge that experience gap.

There’s also this to watch: the Aggies have three running backs with which to play the final five games. Injuries being what they are, especially at that position, UCD has to hope that will be enough. By the end of year in 2005, the team was dressing a few true freshman for just-in-case duty. We may start to see that as well in the coming weeks.