What we learned this spring: Running backs
GamecockCentral.com takes a post-spring practice look at each position on the roster. Today we break down the running backs.
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South Carolina running backs coach Bobby Bentley challenged his position group this spring.
While Rico Dowdle, Ty'Son Williams and A.J. Turner give Bentley a proven trio of backs who have experience, Bentley's looking for one to take over and grab the top spot.
“You have to have another guy to fill in, but I don’t want to rotate for the sake of, ‘Hey, we’re rotating,” Bentley said during the spring. “I want someone to step up and be the guy that everybody in the stands knows that he’s going to get the ball on third and two and get the first down.”
Dowdle, the team's leading rusher for the last two seasons, seems like the most likely candidate, but injuries - including another one this spring - have derailed his quest to be considered among the SEC's elite.
He'll hope to get healthy this summer and have a strong fall, which is something Muschamp talked to him about last week.
“Rico and I had a long conversation today,” Muschamp said. “A lot of the soft tissue issues go back to hydration, they go back to continuing to strain the muscle all the time. Him and I had a very productive conversation today.”
“Rico agrees. He’s a mature guy,” Muschamp continued. “He’s a guy that understands that. He practices extremely hard when he’s there. He pushes himself extremely hard. He’s got to continue to be there.”
While Muschamp hopes Dowdle can practice more, Williams has been the Gamecocks most productive practice back, but didn't consistently carry his play over to the game field last season, Bentley said.
He'll look to improve on that this season and had a strong showing in the spring game two weekends ago.
Turner remains the Gamecocks quick, tough-nosed back who pushes hard and does all the little things right.
Freshman Deshaun Fenwick turned heads as an early enrollee this spring and has all the talent to be a big, bruising SEC back but is still learning everything it takes to play the position at this level.
With spring practice complete, it appears the competition to be the Gamecocks' true No. 1 back is still ongoing.