Sharing The Running Back Load – ‘Whoever Can Make Plays Will Get The Ball’

By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Mike Hart is hot. Indiana's running backs coach has just seen what he couldn't see, not with this kind of talent, not with this much opportunity, not when he has had made it clear that full-throttle effort is expected on every play, every drill, every sprint, every breath.

"You've got to go!" he shouts.

A running back has taken a swing pass and run down the practice field sideline at, perhaps, 60-percent speed. It's part of a non-contact drill that, on the surface, means nothing.

But in the big-picture world of Hoosier football, with turn-it-around-now stakes everywhere you look, it means everything.

So Hart lights him up.

"You run like that, and then don't play, don't come to my office afterward asking why I didn't get any reps!"

Hart's glare could back up a charging grizzly. The running back nods and paces as another running back replaces him, anxious for redemption opportunity.

Welcome to the reality of accountability.

Hart had based an All-Big Ten running back career at Michigan on this approach. He'd gotten three NFL seasons because of it, had used it to build a growing reputation as an outstanding assistant coach and, perhaps, a future head coach.

He's helped develop thousand-yard rushers at Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan and now with the Hoosiers. He's a big reason why the Hoosiers have as much outstanding running back depth as they've had in a generation.

There's sophomore Stevie Scott III, who last year ran for more yards (1,137) on more carries (228) than any freshman in program history.

There's redshirt junior Cole Gest, who had earned his way to starter status last year until a knee injury ended his season in the first game.

There's sophomore Ronnie Walker Jr., who rushed for 141 yards in limited action last year.

There's also a pair of highly regarded true freshmen in Sampson James and Ivory Winters, who put up video-game numbers in high school. That doesn't count another true freshman, David Ellis, who's listed as an athlete and can play running back or receiver.

"They've all got to compete," Hart says. "There are no positions. That's what I tell them."

Fall camp competition is fierce and, in many ways, unforgiving. If you don't produce, if you don't push, if you don't go beyond the expected, you've got no chance.

Hart sets the feisty tone. This is tough coaching, accountable coaching, passionate coaching, the kind of coaching that can turn promising runners into outstanding ones, perhaps even professional ones, and beyond.

"He's taught me ball security and becoming more of a man on and off the field," Scott says. "It's about becoming a better person."

Hart's immediate goal is to develop running backs to help Indiana win, which leads to the obvious question:

Who's going to play?

"Whoever earns it," Hart says. "I never believe in playing one guy. Stevie got a lot of carries last year. That was too many, but that was the situation we were in (because of injuries)."

He pauses.

"Whoever can make plays, we'll get the ball to, I promise you that," he adds with a laugh.

Hart hopes to play three to four running backs per game.

"We're talented enough that we can distribute the carries more. Once you get beyond three to four (running backs), it's hard. You can't give a guy three carries, three carries. That's when competition comes in.

"I don't want Stevie to have 40 carries a game. I hope we don't have to do that."

Hart plans on utilizing third-down backs for passing situations. Walker is a leading candidate. Ellis is a possibility.

"(Ellis is) another guy who can play," Hart says. "He'll get some looks."

In new offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer's offense, running backs figure to have more of a receiving role.

"They can all catch," Hart says. "Stevie caught balls. Cole is a great third-down back. Ronnie can catch. It puts more stress on the defense. The backs have got to run a lot of routes."

He smiles, thinking of the possibilities.

"The more touches we get, the better."

*****

Who figured Scott would do what Anthony Thompson as a freshman couldn't?

Yes, Scott was a beast at Christian Brothers High School in Syracuse, N.Y., combining for 2,500 rushing yards and 42 touchdowns as a sophomore and junior while earning all-state honors. But an injury limited him to three games as a senior and he arrived at IU considered more of a linebacker prospect than a runner.

That soon changed.

Scott had six 100-yard rushing games as a freshman and easily surpassed the 806 yards by Thompson, IU's career rushing leader and 1989 Heisman Trophy runner-up.

"I wasn't surprised," Scott says. "I know my potential and where I come from. This was something I was looking forward to. That's what motivated me."

Hart had an early look at Scott's potential. He was an assistant coach at Syracuse while Scott was tearing up high school opponents. And while Scott had no intention of going to Syracuse -- "I didn't want to stay there. I'd been living there all my life. I wanted to experience something different." -- Hart's move to Bloomington opened a Cream & Crimson option that produced instant results.

At 6-2 and 231 pounds, Scott has the power and explosiveness to punish defenses even more this season.

"Power things, that's what I've been working on," he says. "I feel it will come to play this season."

As for his receiving skills, consider Scott caught 16 passes for 86 yards and a touchdown last season, and is ready for more.

"I'm excited. I can display my hands instead of just running the ball. I can be an all-around back. I want to make plays any way."

Scott understands he might have to do more with less carries. He's fine with that.

"We have a good amount of running backs who can produce plays, make plays, at any given moment. We can play wide receiver, running back, anywhere on the field. We're loaded."

DeBoer aims to exploit that load.

"Coach DeBoer's energy is good," Scott says. "He's helping us be the best players we can be. Create plays and go out and win.

"Our offense can be very explosive as long as our team chemistry is on point. We have to keep improving and help motivate each other."

*****

Gest had it. After a year's apprenticeship, after a monster 2018 fall camp, he had won the starting tailback job.

And then, in one play in the season opener against Florida International, a torn ACL ended it.

"The door was opening," he says, "and then it gets slammed in your face."

A year later, Gest is back and ready to claim, if not the starting position, certainly a key role.

"Cole started before Stevie did," Hart says. "A lot of people are forgetting about Cole. He's a special player. As long as he stays healthy, he's a guy Stevie is going to have to fight for carries."

Gest showed he can bring a good fight as a redshirt freshman in 2017. He rushed for 428 yards and a touchdown, caught 10 passes for 83 yards and another TD.

He was even more impressive in the summer leading to last season before his injury changed everything.

The 5-8, 193-pound Gest is focused on being even more impressive this time. He has impressive speed -- receiver Whop Philyor says Gest's burst is "like a bat out of hell" -- and a mindset that "I'm not slowing down for anybody."

"One of my goals is having a higher productivity level than last year," Gest says. "Coach Hart was texting me that, 'Last camp you were unstoppable. I need you to come back and do that again.' I said, 'I'll exceed that.'

"I'm going to be better than last year. That's my word and I'm going to hold to my word, and do my best."

Gest says he's healthy enough to do that.

"I am 100 percent. Sometimes I forget (the injury) even happened. That's how comfortable I am with the knee. It was a tough path. I feel back to normal."

As for the plan to spread out the carries, Gest says, "You have to do that. Stevie was fortunate to carry the majority of the load last year, but realistically you're not able to do that year after year.

"Running back is a tough position. You take a pounding. We need everybody. You can't think you'll go at it alone and do it by yourself. We need everybody in the tank. The seasons prove that over and over. You have to rely on everybody."

*****

IU has become a running back mecca with the likes of Tevin Coleman, Jordan Howard and Devine Redding in recent years.

Coleman rushed for a school-record 2,036 yards in 2014 and now plays for the NFL's San Francisco 49ers. He's rushed for 2,340 yards and 18 touchdowns as a pro.

Howard rushed for 1,213 yards in his one Hoosier season (2015) and now plays for the Philadelphia Eagles. He's rushed for 3,370 yards and 24 touchdowns as a pro.

Redding rushed for 1,012 yards and nine touchdowns in 2015, and 1,122 yards and seven touchdowns in 2016.

The next wave of Hoosier talent is in place, and as Scott puts it, "I think we're about to be RB IU."

James is in that mix in a big way. The 6-1, 220-pound four-star prospect rushed for 3,451 yards and 38 touchdowns at Avon High School in Indiana, and was considered the No. 10 prep running back prospect by ESPN and Rivals.

He enrolled at IU for last spring semester, although injuries kept him out of spring practice.

"I knew he was a good player," coach Tom Allen says. "We've known Sampson for many years. We watched him grow and develop. I think he's really starting to take that next step.

"He's really benefited from our strength staff. The thing that impresses me about him is he's a very well-rounded back. He's extremely football smart. He gets the game and picks things up quickly. He can catch the ball out of the backfield.

"Obviously running is his strength, but he's patient, balanced, and he's so strong. He doesn't look like a freshman, both physically and how he runs. Even the way he picks things up.

"People think it's just hand the ball off and get first downs and touchdowns, but there's a lot to it. Especially on third downs. He's impressed me with his maturity and where he's at as a football player. That's a tribute to his high school that's prepared him well to be here at this level. Coach (Mark) Bless there at Avon and his staff. He came here well prepared, but he also came hungry.

"He gives us a great balance with Stevie to be able to balance the reps and keep the hits off him in practice. Obviously that can carry over to the game. He's probably further along than I thought he would be. He's ahead of schedule."

In so many ways, that's true of every Hoosier running back, and the results are set to surface starting Aug. 31 against Ball State.

Indiana University Athletics

Sharing The Running Back Load – ‘Whoever Can Make Plays Will Get The Ball’

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David Ellis

Sampson James

Whop Philyor

Stevie Scott III

Ronnie Walker Jr.

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