Sanders finally main man at RB

“Running backs in the NFL take their game to the next level catching the ball out of the backfield. That’s like a second weapon for them. They’re not just running the ball, but they can also catch.”

A year ago, Barkley had 54 receptions that picked up 632 yards.

Sanders declined to say whether recording 50 or 60 catches this season is a realistic objective for him.

“I can’t really say anything right now, because the season hasn’t started,” he said. “I’m just waiting for the season to come to show what I can do.”

While Barkley excelled at virtually every aspect of his role, there is one aspect that is less obvious than most that Sanders would like to emulate: Barkley handled the ball 793 times in his three seasons at Penn State — 671 on runs, 102 on pass receptions, 18 on kick returns and two on pass attempts — and fumbled just four times.

“Ball security is the most important thing,” Sanders said. “You have to protect the ball to have a chance to score.”

Barkley deserves much of the credit for the way he avoided losing the ball, of course, but it also reflected the emphasis coach James Franklin places on avoiding turnovers.

It’s enough of a priority that Penn State devotes five minutes to ball security at every workout.

“Iwould hope that’s a function of how we practice,” Franklin said. “And how we emphasizeit all the time.”

Penn State also stresses the importance of backs being able to contribute to the offense in a variety of ways, to do more than simply hit holes opened by the offensive line and break some tackles. As in so many other things, Barkley set a high standard. In the process, he helped Sanders to establish an objectivefor the coming season.

“Hopefully, be one of those all-around backs,” Sanders said. “Not just running the ball, but blockingwise, seeing the defense, being smart on the field and catching the ball out of the backfield.”

Which would be a performance worthy of his surname.