WVU working to utilize running backs with two-back sets

With four key returning running backs in Martell Pettaway, Kennedy McKoy, Alec Sinkfield and Leddie Brown, who all had major contributions to the team’s rushing attack last season, the Mountaineers have depth and talent at the position which can make it difficult to figure out a plan to use all four in the offense.

“I do know they’re going to be utilized a lot,” running backs coach and co-offensive coordinator Chad Scott said. “They’ve had a good spring thus far. We’ve made quite a few plays. Our mistakes are to a minimum, thankfully. They’ve done a good job of grasping the offense and studying offense outside the required time in meetings.”

“We’re going to use them in a quite a few ways, but they’re definitely going to be utilized a lot,” he added.

One of the ways West Virginia may go about utilizing the running back group is using a two-back set which means getting at least two of the four on the field at the same time.

For the the Mountaineers to able to utilize this two-back set, each of the running backs must be able to effectively run the ball, block and catch the ball out of the backfield--things Scott says the running backs group has shown to be capable of throughout the spring.

“That’s one of the focal points of this spring is for those guys to be complete backs--being able to block for each other,” Scott said. “That’s something they probably hadn’t done as much in the past, but for those guys to be a two-back set, they gotta be able to block and they’ve done that so far.”

The point of becoming a complete back according to Scott is to make the offense more versatile.

By having each running back capable of running the ball, blocking and catching the ball out of the backfield, defenses will be left guessing as to what the offense is going to run and where the ball is going.

If one running back is a liability at one of the skills mentioned above, then defenses would have a better clue of what the offense could run.

“It gives us more versatility also being able to have those guys being able to do it all because at times we might be able to have a back in the backfield, we might be able to have another one flexed out, so with those guys having the ability to do all the things makes the offense more versatile,” Scott said. “(It) allows us to play faster without having to (substitute).”

Working with the two-back sets is exactly what West Virginia has been doing over the course of spring practice.

“Up to this point, we’ve spent a lot of time in two-back sets doing quite a few things with those guys in the run game with those guys blocking for one another and also being able to catch the ball in the passing game,” Scott said.

As a team, the Mountaineers haven’t reached the 2,000-yard rushing mark since the 2016 season.

Now with the team a step closer in determining how exactly each of the four key contributors at running back will be utilized, West Virginia’s rushing attack may be on its way back to becoming a more consistent threat to opposing defenses.

“They’ve used some two-back sets in the past,” Scott said. “I just think we’re going to utilize them a little more so now. We have so many experienced backs, and they’ve done a good job of blocking for one another. Like I said, they’ve done it in the past, but I think we’ll utilize them more so this season.”

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