Pre-recruiting/spring look: RUNNING BACK
December 08, 2007
This is the first look at the 2008 Trojans. It’s never too early to speculate on the next season, especially since Troy’s 2007 season is over. Most of these will not focus on 2008 recruits as no one has signed on the dotted line yet.
Note: Players are listed in class based on what they will be in 2008.
WHAT TROY IS LOSING: Two seniors who really knew how to play the game and were good at it, too. Kenny Cattouse had a pretty good senior season where he earned second-team All Sun Belt honors. His presence was missed in the FAU game that ended Troy’s season. Sean Dawkins redshirted in 2006 after suffering a knee injury in the spring and many called him the best football player on the team. Dawkins could block exceptionally well and was a pretty good pass catcher and runner, though not as elusive or fast as Cattouse.
WHAT TROY IS RETAINING: Not much. Sophomore DuJuan Harris showed some burst and gained 372 yards as a backup. The little guy can run and offensive coordinator Tony Franklin is very high on him. A prep writer in St. Petersburg, Fla., e-mailed me before the season and said Troy got a steal. Junior Xavier Moreland was the 4th guy after being moved from defensive back before the season. He got 8 carries for 35 yards. Moreland is also fast, but has a long way to go before he can be a big-time contributor as he’s just not a natural running back. Fast, but runs into too many blockers.
Troy signed three other running backs, but redshirt freshman Stanley Jones moved to the H-receiver position where he’ll likely stay. Fred Hawkins and Ricky McGee never made it into school. If they ever surface at Troy again, it won’t be until 2009 at the earliest if they were sign and place guys.
Josh Brownell, to my knowledge, didn’t play this season and the Geneva native who came as a walk-on and played some in 2006, could grow into the role that Dawkins provided as a blocker.
DREW’S PREDICTION: I look for Troy to bring in as many as three running backs. They might sign more, but expect three qualified running backs to join the stable. Harris has great potential, but isn’t very big and the Trojans need someone who can get a yard on 4th and 1. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a JUCO running back who is bigger than Harris come in and win the job, but whoever the main guy is needs to be one who knows all the details in the Tony Franklin system - that includes making calls and knowing when and who to block. Anyone can carry the ball, but not everyone can be a successful running back.
