Post-spring breakdown: Running back
Missouri concluded its spring football practices with the Black and Gold scrimmage on Saturday. Before settling in for the summer and shifting our focus forward to fall camp, we will take a look back at what we learned during the spring for each position group, as well as where the depth chart currently stands. Today, we take a look at the running backs.
Previous positions:
DEPTH CHART
1. Larry Rountree III, Jr.
2. Tyler Badie, So.
3. Simi Bakare, So.
4. Dawson Downing, Jr.
THE SKINNY
After breaking out down the stretch last season, Larry Rountree III will be the headliner in the rushing game for Missouri this year. Rountree racked up 458 yards across the Tigers’ final three games a season ago and 1,216 yards on the year. That marked the third-most productive single season by a running back in program history. With Damarea Crockett, who split carries with Rountree for much of last season, now out of the mix, Rountree could have an even bigger year this year. He showed nothing to dispute that Saturday, rushing for 53 yards and a touchdown on nine carries.
Tyler Badie, who earned his way into the regular rotation as a true freshman last season, should provide a nice compliment to Rountree. The speedy Badie can be used as a change-of-pace runner and as a receiver out of the backfield. He had over 100 touches a season ago, and we would expect that number to increase this year.
Fellow sophomore Simi Bakare should also see his role expand. Bakare began last season on the scout team but worked his way into getting some late-season offensive touches. Missouri running backs coach Cornell Ford has shown he isn’t afraid to spread the wealth between three backs, and Bakare will likely compete with incoming freshman Anthony Watkins for that third spot during fall camp.
SPRING TAKEAWAY
Missouri is a bit more thin than it would like to be at running back. Ford admitted that, had the coaching staff anticipated Crockett would declare for the NFL Draft, it likely would have added another back in the 2019 signing class. That said, Ford also believes Rountree is fit to carry a heavier load this year. With Crockett dealing with injuries down the stretch last season, Rountree carried the ball 103 times across Missouri’s final four games. Pair Rountree with the running ability of new starting quarterback Kelly Bryant, and the Tiger coaches believe the rushing attack could be among the best in the SEC this season — as long as Rountree can stay healthy.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
How soon can Watkins make an impact? Missouri has not shied away from playing true freshmen at running back in recent seasons. Crockett, Rountree, Badie and Bakare all used up their freshman year of eligibility during their first season on campus. The staff has absolutely raved about Watkins and could use a bit more depth at the position, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Watkins play in more than four games this year. However, the transition from high school to college, especially at the SEC level, takes different amounts of time for different players, and the coaches won’t give Watkins offensive reps unless he earns them.
QUOTABLE
Running backs coach Cornell Ford on Larry Rountree’s workload:
“He earned it, and we needed it down the stretch. He was very strong, and people kind of shied away from 34 when he was coming around the corner. But he’s a power back, he’s a downhill kind of running back, and he wants that. He’s been dying to be the guy, and we were fortunate for most of the season, we had Crockett in there, and we had Badie kind of back things up a little bit. Those two got kind of banged up towards the end, so now that scenario, okay, you gotta go.”
Ford on the depth of the position:
“We’re thin now. Hopefully when we get our next recruit in, that will pick up the pace a little bit. But you never know at the tailback position. We’ve been fortunate, we haven’t had a whole lot of injuries and most of our guys have made it through the season. We really don’t talk about it, you know. You don’t want to go there. … If we’re fortunate enough to have three or four, we’ll play three or four. If not, we’ll just go with what we got.”