49er Spring Football: Running Backs
Spring Football is here and the Charlotte 49ers are back on the field as they prepare for their second season in the Conference-USA. There will be several topics of discussion going on this upcoming Spring ball and Niner Report will want to dive into the latest.
We first want to take a look at a few position battles on the field. The first position battle that we want to look at is the running back. The 49ers will have their pick of the litter this coming season, as they will have several options on who to hand the ball to in the backfield.
Let's take a look at the running backs this season:
Kalif Phillips: Will be a senior this year and the lead dog for much of the season, like he has been in the past. Last year, Phillips rushed for 961 yards for the 49ers, averaging 87.4 yards per game on the ground to lead Charlotte. If he stays healthy, Phillips should be the lead back once again and look to reach 1,000 yards on the ground this season. Last year, he reached the endzone five times, a number that the coaching staff would like to see go up.
Matt Johnson: Yes this is the same Matt Johnson that played quarterback in 11 games last year and threw for 771 yards and seven touchdowns. He is now transferred over to a hybrid back and running out of special formations. It won't be a huge change for Johnson, as he has rushed for 1,128 yards and five touchdowns in the past three seasons.
Here is a great read from Charlotte Observer about Johnson: Charlotte 49ers’ Matt Johnson welcomes change from quarterback to running back
Bradan Smith and Donjore Gainey: Two guys that haven't seen to much action throughout their career. Smith played in six games, rushing for 122 yards this past season. Gainey played in three games this past season, mostly on special teams. These two might not see to much action in the backfield but are solid prospects on the team that can come in and produce when needed.
Akease Rankin: Rankin was the only running back that signed in 2015 with Charlotte and the young man red-shirted this season. But this young man could certainly provide something to the 49ers this season and could be part of a nice rotation in the backfield for Charlotte. At Mooresville, he rushed for 1,500 yards and 23 touchdowns, averaging 140 yards per game and 10.0 yards a carry. Last year, it was Phillips, Buie, and Johnson that received the most carries last year. Rankin could be in that same rotation but will still need some time.
Robert Washington and Benjamin Lemay: Two freshman that are coming in with high expectations for their 49er career. Washington was a late signee for the 49ers but could see some early playing time as well. He was recruited by several high-profile programs, including ones in the ACC and SEC. Lemay was one of the first commits for the 49ers and stuck around throughout it all. It will be interesting to see which one or both will see action on the field this coming year and be part of a nice rotation. It is more than likely that one could red-shirt this season, but these two along with Rankin will be featured names in the future for Charlotte. They will be joining the team later in the coming months.