WKU Football: Position Preview — Running Back
One of the secret ingredients to the offensive success of WKU football over the past few years has been having a strong run game.
WKU has had a tradition of having great running backs, as Bobby Rainey, Antonio Andrews, Ace Wales and Leon Allen have all torched opposing defenses for the last half-decade, and the next guy to start always seems to be better.
2017 now presents itself as a new opportunity for the next great Hilltopper running back to rise to glory. With Wales having graduated, WKU must find a new running back to pound the rock down the field. The Tops will have a mix of familiar, experienced faces and new faces that will be the next man up and help keep the Topper train rolling strong.
Two familiar faces to Hilltopper fans will be available to carry the rock. Redshirt senior Leon Allen will be eligible for one last season (pending academic qualification) on The Hill after a brutal injury vs. Louisiana Tech in 2015; however, it is not entirely certain if he will be able to play just yet as he is still recovering for that injury.
If Allen is able to return, this will be a major help to the Tops by having an experienced running back on the field. Allen has rushed for 2,353 yards and 22 touchdowns during his time playing for WKU, and would be likely to receive the majority of the carries if he has able to return.
The other familiar face for the Hilltoppers will be junior D’Andre Ferby, who will return as the “thunder” for the Tops’ run game. Ferby is also coming back from an injury, after falling victim on his first play of last season vs. Rice.
Ferby has rushed for 651 yards and 11 touchdowns in his short Hilltopper career. Even if Allen is not able to return, having Ferby back will still be a boon for Sanford and sons. Getting both back would strike fear into the hearts of opposing defensive coordinators.
However, WKU has more depth further down the depth chart if needed. Coach Sanford will have three options available to him immediately: redshirt sophomore Marquez Trigg, redshirt junior Marcelis Logan and freshman Jakairi Moses.
Of the three, only Trigg has actually played for WKU. Trigg won the starting position vs. FAU when Allen had to sit out the first half after the infamous WKU vs. ODU fight that led to his suspension. Last season, he rushed for 298 yards and two touchdowns, including 98 yards against the Owls.
Trigg will likely fall into some sort of rotation with Allen and Ferby, but could see more playing time this season, especially if Allen is ultimately not able to play.
The other two running backs on the roster, Logan and Moses, may also see some playing time. Logan, a product of Lexington Catholic High School, previously played for the Benedict College Tigers in 2015. He rushed for 40 yards and had three receptions during his time as a Tiger.
Moses comes in as the new face on the roster for WKU running backs. He played for Dwyer High School in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, where he rushed for 621 yards and scored 17 touchdowns on the ground during his senior season. You will likely not see these two out on the field very often, but they could get some playing time.
One X-factor for the running backs is sophomore Quinton Baker. Baker, along with five other players, is suspended indefinitely after legal issues regarding an incident with a fraternity. He rushed for 542 yards and four touchdowns last season.
In order to have continued success, WKU will have to get a successful ground game going. This is another position that Coach Sanford should not have to worry about too much, but opposing defensive coordinators definitely should.
Who are you most excited about seeing become the next big running back for WKU football? Will the Tops be okay if Allen can’t play? Who’ll be the “next man up”? Let us know in a comment below, via Twitter at @TheTowelRackWKU or on our Facebook page.
