Spring football preview: Running back
Missouri will enter kick off its first spring under new head coach Eliah Drinkwitz on Saturday, March 7. Each day until then, we will break down the roster one position group at a time. Today, we take a look at the running backs.
The starter: In this case, co-starters might be more appropriate. Because while senior Larry Rountree III might get the title of starter due to his experience, look for dynamic junior Tyler Badie to be heavily involved in the offense again this season. If the offensive line can improve (and that could be a big if) the duo has the potential to be among the best one-two punches in the SEC.
Rountree actually had a bit of a down year last season, by his standards, yet he enters his senior season less than 500 yards away from becoming Missouri’s second all-time leading rusher, and first among running backs. Rountree may not have breakaway speed, but he’s shown to be a reliable downhill runner who gets better as games progress, and he’s scored 26 touchdowns in 38 career games. Meanwhile, the smaller and speedier Badie showed that he is more than just a change-of-pace back with a huge sophomore season. Badie led Missouri in receptions (32) and totaled 356 yards through the air to go along with 457 yards on the ground in 2019. For a stretch in the otherwise forgettable second half of the season, he essentially served as Missouri’s only offense, scoring six touchdowns in the final six games. Badie can run between the tackles, catch passes out of the backfield and potentially line up in the slot, so it will be interesting to see how Drinkwitz and new running backs coach Curtis Luper opt to utilize the speedster.
The backups: There are several names to keep an eye on behind Rountree and Badie, and at least one of them will likely be asked to take on meaningful carries as Missouri’s third back. Rising senior Dawson Downing occupied that role last season. Downing, a former walk-on and Kansas City area native, rushed 40 times for 227 yards and his first career touchdown last season. Redshirt freshman Anthony Watkins could also take a step forward with another year of experience under his belt. Watkins put up ridiculous numbers at South Hills high school in Texas, but only appeared in two games and carried the ball six times last season. Simi Bakare has been a special teams stalwart the past two seasons but has not yet found regular time in the backfield.
Newcomers to know: The new staff seemed excited to keep three-star running back Elijah Young in the signing class, and with Young enrolling early and participating in spring practices, he could have a legitimate chance to skip the redshirt this season. Young earned Gatorade Player of the Year honors in the state of Tennessee after racking up 2,170 rushing yards and 41 total touchdowns as a senior.
Potential storylines: Aside from who emerges as the third back, it will be interesting to get our first glimpse at how the new coaching staff plans to utilize Badie. His skillset should allow him to be a threat in both the running and passing games, and it’s possible he and Rountree could be on the field at the same time in some packages.
PowerMizzou prediction: Rountree, a captain from last season, continues to carry the nominal designation of starter, but Badie plays nearly as many snaps. After a full offseason in a college program, the game slows down a bit for Watkins and he emerges as the third option and positions himself to play meaningful snaps in the fall.
Previous position previews: