Sophomore running back Alfred Morris rushed for a Sun Belt Conference-leading 1,392 yards this season. (Photo by Ralph Notaro)
Backs to the future
> Owl Analysis: Loss of fullback Willie Rose will hurt, but Owls have multiple candidates to try and fill his role.
Originally published on
12/17/2009
by
Chuck King
Alfred Morris’ emergence as a top-tier running back caught many Florida Atlantic followers by surprise.
But while injuries to Jeff Blanchard and Willie Floyd hastened Morris’ rise to the top of the depth chart, FAU coaches had planned to give the sophomore plenty of work, regardless.
“Fred Morris was going to be a guy that was going to be integrated into that running back rotation,” FAU running backs coach David Serna said. “All the injuries did was accelerate the process. Fourteen-hundred yards and 11 touchdowns don’t happen by accident.”
Morris’ rise from obscurity to Sun Belt rushing champ offered the most positive storyline within the program in 2009. And he still has two years of eligibility remaining, which should add stability to the Owls ground attack.
FAU does lose fullback Willie Rose, who’d been a fixture in FAU’s backfield. Rose’s back-up, Xavier Stinson, enjoyed substantial playing time during the season and should move into the roll as a starter fairly seamlessly.
Beyond that trio, though, the Owls didn’t have much support. With Blanchard and Floyd out, Michael Barasch assumed the role as Morris’ backup until injuries – first a wrist, then a shoulder – hampered him.
FAU chose not to burn the redshirt year of its true freshman. As a result, wide receiver Chris Bonner’s 50 yards gained on four carries placed him fourth on the Owls’ rushing list this season. Quarterback Jeff Van Camp was fifth. Avionne Rolle, who left the team in the middle of the season, was sixth.
“I think the only thing we lacked overall this year was developing depth,” Serna said. “Our hands were tied a little bit with injuries. I would say, overall, our grade was a B.”
SeasonBrowser: Running Backs
Season high point: Title town.
Alfred Morris needed 145 yards in the season finale against Florida International to claim the Sun Belt rushing title. Morris powered his way to 158 yards and two touchdowns, becoming the first Owl ever to lead a conference in rushing.
Season low point: They had Game.
FAU running backs combined for 96 yard against South Carolina – the only time all season the Owls were held under 100 yards. Morris had the most, with 79 yards on 22 carries. Morris’ only game lower than that was a 60-yard effort at UAB, but FAU threw the ball so much while trying to get back into the game that Morris carried the ball a season-low 12 times.
Recruiting needs: Medium
The Owls seem to have plenty of backs. Of course, that’s what they thought this time last year and look what happened. “When you have a two-back system, you can’t have enough of them,” Serna said. “A lot the coaches on the staff tease me because we have so many of them but I just say, Look at what happened this season.”
FAU would like to sign at least a couple of backs for this season. Their priority is a big back similar to Morris rather than trying to pluck a game-breaking speed demon.
“Burners, those guys are nice but are they going to be able to get you three yards when you need it?” Serna said. “They can get you 10 yards, but can they block the linebacker in the backfield?”
For a complete list of prospects, check out FAUOwlAccess.com’s recruiting page.
Key losses: Fullback Willie Rose was the ideal player for this system. He could block, carry the ball and catch the ball with equal aplomb. The Owls are hoping to have Jeff Blanchard back, but if the NCAA turns down his application for a second redshirt, FAU will lose what could have been a strong compliment to Morris’ bruising running.
The immediate future: Morris will remain a constant in the backfield and Stinson should be back there with him. After that, the backfield turns into a riddle computer programmers fond of “If/Then” statements would love.
- IF Blanchard is granted a second redshirt, THEN he will likely be the No. 2 tailback. Blanchard received his undergraduate degree, which oddly enough was something he needed to do to remain a college football player (NCAA rules governing academic advancement). Blanchard can become a graduate student and still play football. FAU likely won’t know whether it will have Blanchard’s services until the summer.
- IF Floyd returns from injury as expected and Blanchard isn’t granted an extra year, THEN Floyd will likely assume the role of back-up tailback. The pectoral muscle Floyd tore while lifting weights last spring is healing on schedule, which means Floyd should be ready for spring practice.
- IF Blanchard and Floyd are not available, THEN Barasch would be in line to once again become the backup tailback. That is far from a lock, though. Damian Fortner and Travis Jones would have seen the field this year if not for the redshirt. Coaches are high on both backs, who offer a good change-of-pace to Morris. Both have speed and are elusive, which likely will translate into one or maybe both returning kicks next season. Tyrie Allen spent most of last season on the scout team, but could also be in the mix for some carries.
The fullback situation is a little clearer, but still there is still some mud on the lens. Chris Jackson has shown impressive physical skills and will likely enter the season as Stinson’s backup. David Muniz is the wildcard. Academic issues forced the junior to miss the season, but he still practiced with the Owls with hopes of returning for his senior season. FAU won’t know for sure Muniz will be eligible until the summer. If he is, Muniz could jump as high as the starting fullback and maybe even get some carries at tailback.
Down the road: If Barasch can remain healthy, he will be given the chance to carry the ball. Jones and Fortner are quick, elusive, backs who could add some excitement to the Owls’ backfield. Jackson has the talent to become a true offensive weapon, possessing Rose’s ability to carry and catch the ball. He could ultimately spend time at the toop of the “I”. If he master’s the blocking scheme, Jackson will have a productive future for FAU. Could he become the next fullback-turned-feature-back?