By Scott Ferrell, Shreveport Times
Either Grambling State head football coach Rod Broadway is extremely coy or the Tigers have a concern running the football going into Saturday's season opener at Alcorn State.
"We don't have a running back," Broadway joked during Monday's Southwestern Athletic Conference teleconference. "We may play empty (backfield) all game."
The problem is nothing new at Grambling.
Ab Kuuan led the team in rushing last season with 551 yards. But Kuuan averaged only 3.9 yards per carry.
And Kuuan is not coming back.
Photo: Coach Rod Broadway
"As you know, our leading returning rusher has 47 yards in his career," Broadway said. "So we're still trying to find someone to run the ball. It looks like we may be throwing it all over the ballpark."
Actually, quarterbacks Larry Kerlegan and Brandon Landers were the Tigers' second- and third-leading rushers a year ago. Both return. Kerlegan ran for 215 yards and Landers gained 117 on the ground.
But running back Michael Rainey did indeed rush for 47 yards last season.
Broadway, though, isn't giving up on the run.
"We have some freshmen who have done a good job for us," Broadway said. "Cornelius Walker, a guy out of Georgia, has done a good job for us. Frank Warren and Kenny Batiste, all freshmen, and J.R. Spivey out of Atlanta.
"So we have four freshmen there. Of course, there is the issue of: when you throw a freshman in there you don't know what you're going to get. We know what they have done in practice. But once the lights go on, you don't know what these guys are going to do because they are freshmen."
While the Tigers don't have experience at the running back position, Broadway does see talent there in his freshmen backs.
"Once they get in the flow of the game, I think they're talented enough to be good running backs," he said. "They're not great. They're not bad. They're just good running backs at this point.'
Either Grambling State head football coach Rod Broadway is extremely coy or the Tigers have a concern running the football going into Saturday's season opener at Alcorn State.
"We don't have a running back," Broadway joked during Monday's Southwestern Athletic Conference teleconference. "We may play empty (backfield) all game."
The problem is nothing new at Grambling.
Ab Kuuan led the team in rushing last season with 551 yards. But Kuuan averaged only 3.9 yards per carry.
And Kuuan is not coming back.
Photo: Coach Rod Broadway"As you know, our leading returning rusher has 47 yards in his career," Broadway said. "So we're still trying to find someone to run the ball. It looks like we may be throwing it all over the ballpark."
Actually, quarterbacks Larry Kerlegan and Brandon Landers were the Tigers' second- and third-leading rushers a year ago. Both return. Kerlegan ran for 215 yards and Landers gained 117 on the ground.
But running back Michael Rainey did indeed rush for 47 yards last season.
Broadway, though, isn't giving up on the run.
"We have some freshmen who have done a good job for us," Broadway said. "Cornelius Walker, a guy out of Georgia, has done a good job for us. Frank Warren and Kenny Batiste, all freshmen, and J.R. Spivey out of Atlanta.
"So we have four freshmen there. Of course, there is the issue of: when you throw a freshman in there you don't know what you're going to get. We know what they have done in practice. But once the lights go on, you don't know what these guys are going to do because they are freshmen."
While the Tigers don't have experience at the running back position, Broadway does see talent there in his freshmen backs.
"Once they get in the flow of the game, I think they're talented enough to be good running backs," he said. "They're not great. They're not bad. They're just good running backs at this point.'
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