Hart Encouraged with Running Back Depth
8/17/2017 8:35:00 PM | Football
By Andy Graham
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - When last seen:
Tevin Coleman was scoring in the Super Bowl for Atlanta's Falcons.
Jordan Howard was representing the Chicago Bears in the Pro Bowl.
And Devine Redding was capping the third straight season Indiana had produced a 1,000-yard rusher.
Indiana has developed a recent reputation as a "Running Back U".
So what might Hoosier fans see this fall in that context under new offensive coordinator Mike DeBord, running backs coach Mike Hart and offensive line coach (and run game coordinator) Darren Hiller?
Perhaps this:
Strength in numbers.
That is no foreign concept to football and seems germane to IU's running back corps heading into the 2017 campaign.
Hoosiers head coach Tom Allen remarked during Big Ten Football Kickoff media sessions in Chicago last month that junior Mike Majette was likely the most "all-around" back available. And Majette has averaged a respectable 4.8 yards per carry in 76 career rushing attempts. He has also caught 12 passes for an average gain of 10.9.
But he is hardly alone among running back candidates who could play major minutes.
"He's an all-around guy," Hart said of Majette. "He definitely is. He brings a lot to the table and he does a great job. But they all have different skill-sets and are stronger in some areas than other ones."
Majette, Devonte Williams, Cole Gest, Tyler Natee and former walk-ons Ricky Brookins and Alex Rodriguez all have experience at the college level. True freshmen Morgan Ellison and Craig Nelson have already shown promise during preseason camp.
Collectively, they offer Hart a smorgasbord of skills from which to choose.
Hart isn't necessarily sure a dominant "three-down back" will emerge from that group, though he'd like to see that develop and Majette could potentially be that guy. But Hart seems confident the overall job will get done.
"We have enough talent," Hart said Wednesday. "There is not a question about that. It's my job as the running backs coach and our job as an offense to figure out which guys are the best guys to be out there early in the year.
"I think we have a lot of depth. We can put anybody in there with the 1s and the 2s and they know what to do and they can get it done. They're doing a great job of coming out here and competing every day."
Depth always comes into play. Majette missed the last five games with injury last season. Howard was limited by injury to nine games the season before that.
"I think the more depth you have, the better, whatever the situation is," Hart said. "You're never going to get through the season with one back. You're never going to get through the season with two backs. So the more guys we have, the better.
"They all bring a little something different, obviously … they're better at certain things than other things. They're all unique in their own way. We've got big backs. We've got small backs. We've got quick backs. It'll be fun. We've just got to use them in the right situations."
Not that Hart plans on IU tipping its hand to opposing defenses via situational substituting.
"You never really want to do that (where) you put a certain guy in and they know it's going to be a pass, and that sort of thing," Hart said. "My job is as running backs coach is to get all of them ready to play on first down, second down and third down. And to be honest with you, those are the guys who I'll be able to play. A guy who can only do one thing is not going to be able to play."
Majette feels Hart has helped bring out myriad talents from the running backs.
"You know, he's helped a lot," Majette said of Hart. "He's using us differently. We all do things differently. He's taking advantage of each back and putting them in the right situations so, that way, we can use our physical (traits) to the best of our ability.
"We've got some big backs. We've got some scat backs. So, of course we're going to use the big backs down in the red zone area, get those guys in the zone. We've got a lot of scat backs and balanced backs, guys who can be used in the open field and then down toward the red zone as well."
That includes the freshmen, according to Majette, with Ellison and Nelson both showing some all-around capacity.
"They're buying in," Majette said of the frosh. "They're taking coaching from Coach Hart and from us older guys. They're accepting that role of just learning and soaking everything up like a sponge.
"They're coming out here ready to learn. It seems like things can get monotonous (in camp) but they're coming out here full of energy and ready to learn every day."
Including learning the nuances of pass protection, a very necessary skill. "If you can't 'pass pro,' you can't play," Majette said, "so we harp on that."
Hart, a four-year star at Michigan where he set the career rushing record, noted that was a big hurdle to clear when moving from prep to college ranks.
"One of the hardest things, from high school to college, is pass protection," Hart said. "Knowing who you have, knowing the call, knowing the signals. It's just repetitions. You've got to keep getting those guys reps.
"Some of them will learn it and some won't. With some, it'll take a year. And if it takes a year, obviously they can't be out there because we don't want to get our quarterback hurt … there is a lot that goes into it. It's not checkers, it's chess."
So even as Ellison and Nelson have both ripped off impressive gains during practice, how quickly they master other elements of the position will likely determine how soon and how much they play.
"You see some guys have a 40-yard or 50-yard run, but then they give up three sacks," Hart said. "We can't do that. That's a thing that holds younger guys back from playing. Or it might hold older guys back from playing.
"The most talented runner doesn't always play. You have to find ways to get him on the field, but you really want to find a guy who can do everything on first, second and third down and be confident in him. It's consistency. Whoever is the most consistent, to me, is going to play."
???????Majette felt eventually "two or three" backs would emerge to carry the bulk of the load for IU's running game this season and hopes he's ready to be one of those.
Asked how he has improved since his arrival in Bloomington, Majette said:
"Just being patient, being able to read what's going on in the backfield and 'pass pro.' Just being able to understand the game a little more … just my ability to be able to become a receiver out of the backfield, my ability to catch, just being able to look the ball in and focus."
Hart is maintaining patience in terms of developing a playing rotation for his backs. He noted that the Hoosiers have had just one full scrimmage during camp, though another is set for Saturday.
"We've had one scrimmage so far," Hart said. "And, again, there are a lot of guys we have to take a look at. So there is no one at the top of the food chain right now. There is a core group of guys who are older and a core group of guys who are younger.
"Right now, we're trying to figure out who is the best at what, who can play in what situations, who can be that first- second- and third-down guy all time. My job is to get all these guys ready to play. Hopefully, we'll know more after the scrimmage this weekend."
???????Majette already feels pretty good about Indiana's offensive capacity. He's seen, among other things, good stuff from fifth-year senior quarterback Richard Lagow and the passing game.
"I believe Richard has had a tremendous camp," Majette said. "(He's) coming in and doing a marvelous job of checking the ball down, making the right reads, doing everything he has to do as a quarterback (including) leading the team on and off the field.
"I'd say we're at a pretty good point, right now, offensively. Of course, every day we want to get better. We're not where we want to be, right now, but I think we're on the right path."
And maybe with several running backs eventually toting it.
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - When last seen:
Tevin Coleman was scoring in the Super Bowl for Atlanta's Falcons.
Jordan Howard was representing the Chicago Bears in the Pro Bowl.
And Devine Redding was capping the third straight season Indiana had produced a 1,000-yard rusher.
Indiana has developed a recent reputation as a "Running Back U".
So what might Hoosier fans see this fall in that context under new offensive coordinator Mike DeBord, running backs coach Mike Hart and offensive line coach (and run game coordinator) Darren Hiller?
Perhaps this:
Strength in numbers.
That is no foreign concept to football and seems germane to IU's running back corps heading into the 2017 campaign.
Hoosiers head coach Tom Allen remarked during Big Ten Football Kickoff media sessions in Chicago last month that junior Mike Majette was likely the most "all-around" back available. And Majette has averaged a respectable 4.8 yards per carry in 76 career rushing attempts. He has also caught 12 passes for an average gain of 10.9.
But he is hardly alone among running back candidates who could play major minutes.
"He's an all-around guy," Hart said of Majette. "He definitely is. He brings a lot to the table and he does a great job. But they all have different skill-sets and are stronger in some areas than other ones."
Majette, Devonte Williams, Cole Gest, Tyler Natee and former walk-ons Ricky Brookins and Alex Rodriguez all have experience at the college level. True freshmen Morgan Ellison and Craig Nelson have already shown promise during preseason camp.
Collectively, they offer Hart a smorgasbord of skills from which to choose.
Hart isn't necessarily sure a dominant "three-down back" will emerge from that group, though he'd like to see that develop and Majette could potentially be that guy. But Hart seems confident the overall job will get done.
"We have enough talent," Hart said Wednesday. "There is not a question about that. It's my job as the running backs coach and our job as an offense to figure out which guys are the best guys to be out there early in the year.
"I think we have a lot of depth. We can put anybody in there with the 1s and the 2s and they know what to do and they can get it done. They're doing a great job of coming out here and competing every day."
Depth always comes into play. Majette missed the last five games with injury last season. Howard was limited by injury to nine games the season before that.
"I think the more depth you have, the better, whatever the situation is," Hart said. "You're never going to get through the season with one back. You're never going to get through the season with two backs. So the more guys we have, the better.
"They all bring a little something different, obviously … they're better at certain things than other things. They're all unique in their own way. We've got big backs. We've got small backs. We've got quick backs. It'll be fun. We've just got to use them in the right situations."
Not that Hart plans on IU tipping its hand to opposing defenses via situational substituting.
"You never really want to do that (where) you put a certain guy in and they know it's going to be a pass, and that sort of thing," Hart said. "My job is as running backs coach is to get all of them ready to play on first down, second down and third down. And to be honest with you, those are the guys who I'll be able to play. A guy who can only do one thing is not going to be able to play."
Majette feels Hart has helped bring out myriad talents from the running backs.
"You know, he's helped a lot," Majette said of Hart. "He's using us differently. We all do things differently. He's taking advantage of each back and putting them in the right situations so, that way, we can use our physical (traits) to the best of our ability.
"We've got some big backs. We've got some scat backs. So, of course we're going to use the big backs down in the red zone area, get those guys in the zone. We've got a lot of scat backs and balanced backs, guys who can be used in the open field and then down toward the red zone as well."
That includes the freshmen, according to Majette, with Ellison and Nelson both showing some all-around capacity.
"They're buying in," Majette said of the frosh. "They're taking coaching from Coach Hart and from us older guys. They're accepting that role of just learning and soaking everything up like a sponge.
"They're coming out here ready to learn. It seems like things can get monotonous (in camp) but they're coming out here full of energy and ready to learn every day."
Including learning the nuances of pass protection, a very necessary skill. "If you can't 'pass pro,' you can't play," Majette said, "so we harp on that."
Hart, a four-year star at Michigan where he set the career rushing record, noted that was a big hurdle to clear when moving from prep to college ranks.
"One of the hardest things, from high school to college, is pass protection," Hart said. "Knowing who you have, knowing the call, knowing the signals. It's just repetitions. You've got to keep getting those guys reps.
"Some of them will learn it and some won't. With some, it'll take a year. And if it takes a year, obviously they can't be out there because we don't want to get our quarterback hurt … there is a lot that goes into it. It's not checkers, it's chess."
So even as Ellison and Nelson have both ripped off impressive gains during practice, how quickly they master other elements of the position will likely determine how soon and how much they play.
"You see some guys have a 40-yard or 50-yard run, but then they give up three sacks," Hart said. "We can't do that. That's a thing that holds younger guys back from playing. Or it might hold older guys back from playing.
"The most talented runner doesn't always play. You have to find ways to get him on the field, but you really want to find a guy who can do everything on first, second and third down and be confident in him. It's consistency. Whoever is the most consistent, to me, is going to play."
???????Majette felt eventually "two or three" backs would emerge to carry the bulk of the load for IU's running game this season and hopes he's ready to be one of those.
Asked how he has improved since his arrival in Bloomington, Majette said:
"Just being patient, being able to read what's going on in the backfield and 'pass pro.' Just being able to understand the game a little more … just my ability to be able to become a receiver out of the backfield, my ability to catch, just being able to look the ball in and focus."
Hart is maintaining patience in terms of developing a playing rotation for his backs. He noted that the Hoosiers have had just one full scrimmage during camp, though another is set for Saturday.
"We've had one scrimmage so far," Hart said. "And, again, there are a lot of guys we have to take a look at. So there is no one at the top of the food chain right now. There is a core group of guys who are older and a core group of guys who are younger.
"Right now, we're trying to figure out who is the best at what, who can play in what situations, who can be that first- second- and third-down guy all time. My job is to get all these guys ready to play. Hopefully, we'll know more after the scrimmage this weekend."
???????Majette already feels pretty good about Indiana's offensive capacity. He's seen, among other things, good stuff from fifth-year senior quarterback Richard Lagow and the passing game.
"I believe Richard has had a tremendous camp," Majette said. "(He's) coming in and doing a marvelous job of checking the ball down, making the right reads, doing everything he has to do as a quarterback (including) leading the team on and off the field.
"I'd say we're at a pretty good point, right now, offensively. Of course, every day we want to get better. We're not where we want to be, right now, but I think we're on the right path."
And maybe with several running backs eventually toting it.
Players Mentioned
RB
/ Football
RB
/ Football
QB
/ Football
RB
/ Football
RB
/ Football
RB
/ FootballFB: Omar Cooper - ISU Postgame Press Conference (09/12/25))
Friday, September 12
FB: Fernando Mendoza - ISU Postgame Press Conference (09/12/25)
Friday, September 12
FB: Week 3 (Indiana State) - Curt Cignetti Postgame Press Conference
Friday, September 12
FB: Inside IU Football with Curt Cignetti - Week 3 (Indiana State)
Wednesday, September 10