For a unit that’s suffered injuries and is waiting expectantly for a crop of highly touted freshmen to arrive in the fall, the running back corps has provided plenty to talk about so far this spring.
Last year’s leading rusher Kahlil Bell is still recovering from a torn ACL along with freshman Raymond Carter, who’s out with the same injury. That leaves Chane Moline and little-used Christian Ramirez and Craig Sheppard to fill out the running back position for spring camp.
For Ramirez, who has taken the majority of his reps with first team, the past three weeks of practice have been an opportunity to show his ability as a rusher. Ramirez switched from the safety position to the backfield early last season.
“It’s been a great spring,” Ramirez said. “I feel like I’ve achieved a little bit. … I have to make the most of my opportunities and stay hungry. Just don’t let anything get in my way right now.”
Ramirez ran a total of 19 times last season for 5.2 yards per carry, only behind Bell among running backs. Needless to say, being a focal point of the offense at this point in the spring was not something he expected.
“It’s crazy,” he said. “One day I’m just buried in the depth chart, and now I come here and I’m having a good spring. It’s really exciting for me.
“I really didn’t know what to expect coming in here. I knew I was going to have a lot of chances.”
Those chances are exactly what he has taken advantage of this spring. He has drawn plenty of compliments from coach Rick Neuheisel who has spoken of Ramirez as an outstanding athlete who needs to be on the field.
However, with the fall arrival of a talented group of running backs including Milton Knox, Johnathan Franklin and Aundre Dean, Ramirez may be looking at the short end of the stick at the tailback position.
That doesn’t bother him.
“Wherever (Neuheisel) puts me on the field, I’ll be excited to play for him,” Ramirez said.
O-LINE CONTINUES ON LEARNING CURVE: For Ramirez and the rest of the running backs, the running game so far this spring has been somewhat of an adventure behind a patchwork offensive line.
The unit has struggled to contain a talented defensive line, but Moline has noticed improvements in the first three weeks of spring practice.
“Our line is improving every day,” Moline said. “They’re getting the calls down. They’re working as a unit. So we’re getting there. We’ve got a lot of work to do, don’t get me wrong, but each day we can see a little progress.
COWAN OUT TEMPORARILY: Quarterback Pat Cowan, who has been taking reps with the first team, sat out of Tuesday’s practice after tweaking his left knee on Monday.
An MRI taken on Tuesday was negative, and he is expected to practice today. In his place Ben Olson took reps with the first team but did not have a great day.
“(Olson) did some good things,” Neuheisel said. “Still inconsistent. I don’t know if I can say that anybody’s been consistent, but he was too inconsistent today for us to be effective.”