Could LSU Football Have a Four Horse Race at Running Back?
For much of the offseason, it was widely believed that LSU would be using a by-committee approach at running back that combined the talents of sophomores Chris Curry, John Emery and Tyrion Davis-Price.
All three bring something different to the running attack. Curry and Davis-Price bring a brute, physical style of play to the LSU offense while Emery is a nice balance of finesse with the ability to make plays out of the backfield in the passing attack.
But in recent weeks, LSU coach Ed Orgeron has hyped up freshman running back Kevontre Bradford. Bradford was a late addition to the Tigers, committing in late January and signing on national signing day.
“We got on him a little late,” Orgeron said. “He wasn’t a five-star, but we always thought he was a good player. Man, has he surprised me. As far as his toughness, athletic ability and speed. He’s better than I thought he’d be, which is really good because I wouldn’t have signed him if I didn’t think he was good enough to play here.”
Now Orgeron did say that Curry, Emery and Davis-Price have looked the part as well.
"We have four excellent running backs, we're going to use all of them and we have an excellent running backs coach," Orgeron said. "I can't wait to watch those guys run."
Of course Emery, Davis-Price and Curry all showed flashes in 2019 behind Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Curry was probably the one guy that was able to show the coaching staff the most as a potential lead back with his performance in the Peach Bowl win over Oklahoma.
Curry rushed for 90 yards on 16 carries with Edwards-Helaire limited with a hamstring injury and really showed the coaching staff and teammates a lot by stepping up in that moment. It's been wildly popularized that safety JaCoby Stevens would earn the No. 18 jersey over the last few months but Orgeron also threw out Curry's name on Tuesday's edition of Off the Bench when asked.
As for Davis-Price, the powerful back spent most of last year as Edwards-Helaire's primary backup, earning the second most carries on the team and rushed for 290 yards and six touchdowns as a freshman, averaging 4.6 yards per carry. Though he only received three carries in the win, Davis-Price breakout play was the go-ahead 33-yard touchdown over Florida.
Emery received spot playing time as a freshman after being one of the higher ranked prospects in the class. It took some time for him to adjust to the college game and with Edwards-Helaire establishing himself early as the primary back, it limited his production on the field.
“I know we want to find a lead back, but let's find out who can play," running backs coach Kevin Faulk said on Hangin' with Hester in May. "Who can play together and who can complement each other? There are certain games where one guy might be the guy, and certain games he might not get a carry."
Unless one truly dominates in fall camp over the next few weeks, it's easy to surmise that LSU will balance the approach at running back early in the season. It will be one of the position battles to follow closely but don't expect any major decisions regarding who starts before the Tigers' first game on Sept. 26.
