Depth makes running back competition position to watch this preseason

Depth at a position is never a bad thing to have, and it’s something the Gamecocks are familiar with at running back.

They have three running backs listed at the top spot in the depth chart, separated by the commonly used OR between their names. With such a logjam at the top, it’ll be a contested position as fall camp continues.

But the requirements to start are pretty simple: compete and work hard.

“That’ll be determined by them, not me. It’s really simple. That’s what helps you, when you have competition. You have to know every single day that you have to practice extremely hard,” head coach Will Muschamp said. “You have to have guys pushing each other constantly to understand that they all want to play and they don’t want to be sitting on the sidelines by me. So, whoever is the most productive guy is the guy that’s going to play.”

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Rico Dowdle and A.J. Turner, the team’s top two rushers from last season, return for their sophomore years and Ty’Son Williams is set to enter the backfield rotation.

It’s a fierce competition, with all three wanting to get the starting nod, but Turner said all three know it’ll be back-by-committee this season.

Dowdle started the majority of last season, earning the starting spot against UMass and not relinquishing it the rest of the season. He led the team with 764 yards of offense, including a 226-yard day against Western Carolina.

Turner started four games last year as a redshirt freshman, finishing second on the team with 497 yards. Both are expected to handle a big workload in what Muschamp said will ideally be a balanced offense, but only one can start.

“I’m competing with them and just doing my job and doing what I do best that day and every day just compete,” Dowdle said.

Williams, a former 1,000-yard rusher from Sumter, S.C. sat out 2016 after transferring from North Carolina and played well in the Gamecocks’ Spring Game. He rushed for 83 yards and a touchdown and will be another player to watch in the starting competition.

Dowdle said he and Williams have similar styles of running and commended the transfer’s ability to move laterally to create space and cut up field.

“The best thing for Rico was Ty’Son coming in,” Jake Bentley said. “I’ve been able to see them be able to push each other everyday. And A.J. is right there with them, too. Seeing all them push each other every day has been great. It’s made each and every one of them so much better.”

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Sometimes with running back competitions, all three backs have similar styles of running. That’s not the case this year, with Dowdle saying they all compliment each other really well.

Dowdle and Williams are both more power runners, working between the tackles with the ability to bounce outside while Turner is a little more shifty and used in the outside run game as well.

Turner’s also the lighter running back, weighing about 20 pounds less than his counterparts, and says the versatility of the group will make it hard for defenses this season.

“I bring a little more speed and shiftiness but I can still run up the middle. I’m not weak. I can still run up the middle but I feel like it’s a good tandem,” he said. “They have speed, too, but having that different running styles it’s going to be hard for teams to stop. They’re going to have to prepare for three of us instead of maybe just one of us or two of us.”

Kurt Roper is no stranger to having a backfield full of good running backs. When he was the position coach at Tennessee, he was in charge of Arian Foster, Montario Hardesty and LaMarcus Coker, all three of which would go on to play professional football.

He said running back is a tough position to play, but it’s good to have three guys who are able to play well.

“Running backs sometimes come with personalities, and you got one football,” Roper said, smiling. “They’re all competitive. They always want the ball.”

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But the competition doesn’t stop on the practice field; that’s only the beginning.

When they’re not in meetings or taking reps, the three and fellow back Mon Denson are together hanging out. Video games are a typical activity, with the game of choice being Madden.

Turner said they all claim to be the best at the game, but everybody beats everybody. There’s only one rule when they play, and that’s they can’t go for it on fourth down if it’s less than three yards to go.

Why? “It’s a video game. It’s easy. Slants,” Turner said, speaking from experience.

All three backs are expected to shoulder a solid workload in a Gamecock offense returning a host of skill position talent. But to them, it’s about hanging out and being together. They know their reps and time will come, but right now they’re focusing on building their bond off the field.

“It’s always great to build relationships. Football, it’s not just football,” Turner said. “”We’re going to know these guys for the rest of our lives. Football’s going to be here, but our friendships aren’t going to go anywhere.”