Aggies to utilize strength in numbers at running back
COLLEGE STATION — Last year, running back Kwame Etwi passed on a handful of scholarship offers to the likes of Stephen F. Austin State and the U.S. Naval Academy to attend Texas A&M as a walk-on.
“I’ve always wanted to be in the oil and gas industry,” said Etwi, a geophysics major and former Oak Ridge standout. “I knew I could get a great education and play some football.”
Last season, Etwi (5-9, 190) played more football than he envisioned as a true freshman in gaining 151 yards on 20 carries, good for a team-best 7.6 yards per carry.
“Kwame is probably the smartest kid in our room,” A&M running backs coach Clarence McKinney said of position meetings. “He works hard and knows his assignment, and when he gets the ball in his hands, he knows what to do with it.”
McKinney’s “smartest kid” designation is lofty, considering the number of running backs on the A&M roster.
“We’ve got a bunch of them out there, I know that,” new offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone said.
Six, to be exact, and the coaches claim each one is in contention to carry the load in A&M’s new offense: juniors Keith Ford of Cypress Ranch and James White of Dawson, the sophomore Etwi, and freshmen Kendall Bussey, Trayveon Williams of C.E. King and Rakeem Boyd of Stratford. Bussey of New Orleans is the lone running back not from the Houston area.
“They’re all a little bit different,” coach Kevin Sumlin said. “And depth at running back is a luxury we haven’t had.”
Offensive line a concern
The Aggies intend to lean on their running game more than they have in Sumlin’s four prior seasons, at least that’s the indication in camp. Fans will find out for sure Sept. 3 against Pac-12 foe UCLA at Kyle Field in the season opener.
“You have different aspects,” White said of the varying strengths of each, “from different backs.”
A&M is counting heavily on Ford, a transfer from Oklahoma, White and Etwi for starters to help ease the pressure on an unproven offensive line that lost three starters from last season.
In addition, senior quarterback Trevor Knight, another OU transfer, had a reputation for inconsistency and was prone to injury with the Sooners. So handing off the ball to a handful of quality backs might be one of the best things A&M can do offensively, even in what Mazzone plans as an up-tempo approach.
“All of those guys are working hard and pushing each other, and that makes my job a lot easier,” McKinney said. “We want one guy to be the guy, and a couple of guys to give him a break and give us some good reps.”
Last season, A&M had one guy who was primarily the guy, as then-senior Tra Carson rushed for 1,165 yards on 242 carries, the most totes by the Aggies’ leading rusher in a season since Dante Hall carried 243 times for 1,024 yards in 1998.
Sumlin is known for employing a wide-open, passing offense, but A&M ran more than it threw last season (505 to 482) en route to a second straight 8-5 finish. But in three of their losses under then-offensive coordinator Jake Spavital, the Aggies failed to score more than 10 points (against Mississippi, Auburn and LSU).
Starter a question mark
Hence the need for a more powerful and swift rushing attack, one they vow is on its way under Mazzone. Ford and White are burly backs in the 220-pound range, Bussey and Boyd check in at around 200, and Etwi and Williams are more in the scat-back range (190-195 pounds).
“Our new offense is very up-tempo,” Etwi said. “We have a lot of speed and power, and there are so many of us, no matter the situation, we’ll get a back in there who can satisfy whatever we need to do. It’s been easy to adapt to and get accustomed to this new offense.”
McKinney said at this point the “one guy” has yet to be determined, but Ford is expected to be right in the mix. The Aggies’ scout team offensive most valuable player last fall rushed for 503 yards on 86 carries over his first two seasons at OU (2013 and ’14). Ford also missed much of this spring’s drills because of an ankle injury.
“He’s really talented, and he’s really good in protection,” McKinney said. “(But) he’s got to stay healthy.”