Hagan likes looks of Buffs’ backs
CU running backs coach sees deep, talented group
Darian Hagan isn’t ready to label Colorado’s running backs group as the best he’s coached – but they could get there.
“I would say a year from now, this group has the potential to be the best that I’ve ever coached,” Hagan said Wednesday after the Buffaloes completed their 17th practice of the preseason. “I think that every last one of them have an opportunity to do some really, really good things.”
Hagan is starting his fifth season in his second stint coaching the Buffs’ running backs. In all, this is 10th season in that role (also 2006-10).
Hagan has coached Phillip Lindsay (second on CU’S all-time rushing list, with 3,707 yards), Rodney “Speedy” Stewart (third, 3,598) and Hugh Charles (eighth, 2,659). He also helped Travon Mcmillian eclipse the 1,000-yard mark in his only season at CU, in 2018.
It’s been a while, however, since CU had this much overall talent at tailback.
Junior Alex Fontenot is the only upperclassman in the room. In his first season as a starter in 2019, he ran for 874 yards and five touchdowns. Oregon’s CJ Verdell is the only returning player in the Pac-12 who averaged more yards per game than Fontenot’s 79.5.
“Last year, it was his first year being a full-time starter and the game was a little fast to him early in the season,” Hagan said. “As we got later in the season, the game started slowing down for him. Now he’s picked up his game. He’s a wily veteran. He knows exactly what to do in every situation. He’s a special talent and I’m glad he’s on our side of the team, on offense.”
Also back is sophomore Jaren Mangham, who ran for 441 yards last year – the fourth-best total by a CU
freshman in the last 28 years.
New to the roster this year is true freshman Ashaad Clayton, a four-star recruit from New Orleans who was the highest-rated player in CU’S 2020 class and the highest-rated running back recruit by the Buffs since Darrell Scott in 2008.
“Ashaad is a big back and everything that he does in the run game and in the pass game, he’s a natural,” Hagan said. “I tell him, ‘I’m going to line you up, I’m going to get you started and then back off. Just go out there and you be creative.’ And, that’s what he does. He’s really special.”
Sophomore Joe Davis and true freshmen Jayle Stacks provide quality depth, as well, and both have impressed Hagan.
Then, there’s the man who has been talked about perhaps more than any other player during preseason camp: sophomore Jarek Broussard.
“One person in particular that stepped up a lot is J-brew,” defensive lineman Mustafa Johnson said. “When we had our first scrimmage, he was cutting up and making big plays, big runs.”
The 5-foot-9, 185-pound Broussard has yet to play in a game with the Buffs. He redshirted in 2018 and missed the entire 2019 season with a knee injury.
Now healthy, he’s flashing the skills he displayed at Bishop Lynch (Texas) High School. In his final two years of high school,
Broussard rushed for 1,620 yards and 23 touchdowns, averaging 11.6 yards carry. He also caught 66 passes for 1,141 yards and 12 touchdowns.
“Broussard has come a long way,” Hagan said. “In the past, he wasn’t very intuned. He was kind of, I would say, like a Venus flytrap; he was … just out there.
“(Now), he’s playing with a lot of confidence. He knows exactly what he’s doing and he brings a different element to the game. He’s a real jitterbug. He can take it to the house, he can make guys miss the open field. That’s the guy that we’ve been missing.”
The last time CU had a back like that, Hagan said, was Stewart, who led CU in rushing ever year from 2008-11.
“He’s comparable to Speedy,” Hagan said. “I like what he does.”
Hagan likes what all the backs do, but might find it difficult to give all an opportunity to play. There might be games where all the backs can get involved, but typically, the rotation won’t be very deep.
“If the game is tight, you probably rotate three guys,” Hagan said. “I know the guys probably wouldn’t want to hear that, but I’m comfortable with everybody playing.
“It’s just that some guys are going to be hot and you don’t want to pull that guy out just to get a rotation to put a guy in.”
With this group, however, Hagan feels confident that the Buffs will be in good hands, no matter who is on the field.
“I think that all of these guys bring a little something different to the table,” Hagan said. “They want an opportunity and I’m going to try to make sure that that happens.”