IUP to use three, sometimes four running backs this season

The IUP football team is going to have a luxury this season by having four players at the running back position.

It starts with returning starter, junior Harvie Tuck. In 2010, Tuck led the team with 1,163 yards and four touchdowns.

The Crimson Hawks also have sophomore Teddy Blakeman, who in a backup role to Tuck ran for 513 rushing yards and scored seven touchdowns. With those two firmly in place in the backfield, most would think IUP Head Coach Curt Cignetti would be satisfied with that situation, but he said the Hawks will try to use three and sometimes four ball carriers during the course of the game.  

He learned from his time at the University of Alabama as the wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator that depth at the running back position is very important.

"You need to have good depth at running back," he said. "At Alabama, we always played three or four running backs. You can never have enough running backs."

That means sophomore James Johnson, who rushed for 262 yards last season and scored one touchdown, and redshirt freshman Ben Sasu, will see some time in the backfield as well.

"It helps, because we push each other to be better," Tuck said during an Aug. 21 interview. "We're really working well together as a group. We're pushing each other because we know if one of us goes down, somebody else is going to have step in."

Cignetti is happy with the guys he has.

"All those guys are doing a good job at running back," he said. "They're running hard during the scrimmages and are consistent during practice."

 "We like to play two or three guys during the game to keep them fresh," he added.

  The players themselves don't necessarily care who is named the starter. To them, it is just about improving from last year and helping 
each other out.

  "During camp, we're just trying to be better," said Sasu. "We aren't really worrying about it. We're just trying to stay healthy and get better. When the time is right, the coach will designate a starter."

  During a press conference Aug. 22, Cignetti said that Tuck will be the starter going into the season.

  "It is good that we have so many guys," Sasu said. "We know during the season that people have nicks and bangs, and to have the complimentary guy who can come in and get some carries, it is always a good thing to have more than two or three running backs, so we can start out each quarter with some fresh legs."