Stu Holt has six running backs in his room this year, but they might not all be available for the season-opener. (Jon Fleming)[/caption]
Under new offensive coordinator Tyler Bowen, Virginia Tech wants to run the ball. With the arm talent of Grant Wells, the Hokies are going to want to air it out, too. How do they find that balance, and what running backs can provide that?
In the spring, Stu Holt had nine running backs to work with in his room. Three transferred out, leaving Tech with six, which is an ideal number for Holt. Here's the list:
Jalen Holston (5-11, 210, r-Sr.*)
Keshawn King (5-11, 180, r-Jr.*)
Malachi Thomas (6-0, 198, So.)
Chance Black (6-1, 191, r-Fr.)
Kenji Christian (6-2, 207, r-Fr.)
Bryce Duke (5-11, 200, Fr.)
*Holston is using his COVID year while King has a COVID year of eligibility to use in the future.
Here's a breakdown of the career numbers from the running backs:
| Running Back | App | Rush Att | Rush Yds | Avg | TD | Rec | Yds | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jalen Holston | 48 | 225 | 914 | 4.1 | 8 | 12 | 110 | 1 |
| Keshawn King | 23 | 108 | 457 | 4.2 | 3 | 11 | 206 | 1 |
| Malachi Thomas | 12 | 93 | 440 | 4.7 | 3 | 2 | 33 | 0 |
Holston and Thomas, 1A and 1B
Holston, who is entering his sixth collegiate season, has obviously been around the longest. Then there's Thomas, who made an impact as a true freshman in late October last year. But as fall camp comes to a close, neither back is healthy.Option 1A and 1B (in no particular order), as Holt referred to them at Tech's media day, have both missed practice time. Holston is "unavailable" and is "recovering from a minor injury," per Pry on Wednesday. Thomas has been deemed "week-to-week."
When they are healthy, though, what kind of impact can they have?
One of the most curious parts of the previous regime was the usage of the running backs. For example, Holston started the 2021 season as the No. 2 back and had 13 carries vs. North Carolina. In the following five games, he had at least five rushes. But after the Pitt game, he didn't touch the ball until the Pinstripe Bowl vs. Maryland in December.
In the same sense, it wasn't until week seven (Oct. 23 vs. Pitt) that the Hokies started feeding Thomas last year. It likely took that long for the staff to be comfortable with him pass blocking, which is understandable for a true freshman. But after he put together three great games in a row down the stretch, his carries fell off.
| Game | Rush Att. | Rush Yds | Avg. | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| vs. Pitt | 6 | 33 | 5.5 | 0 |
| vs. Syracuse | 21 | 151 | 7.2 | 3 |
| at Georgia Tech | 25 | 103 | 4.1 | 0 |
| at Boston College | 13 | 70 | 5.4 | 0 |
| vs. Duke | 7 | 10 | 1.4 | 0 |
| at Miami | 7 | 39 | 5.6 | 0 |
| at Virginia | 4 | 12 | 3.0 | 0 |
| Maryland | 5 | 7 | 1.4 | 0 |
With Raheem Blackshear, it was a similar situation. His numbers jumped all over the place, and like Thomas, he only received two carries at Miami after a big game against Duke. Here are the numbers for Thomas and Blackshear side-by-side:
| Game | Thomas Rush | Blackshear Rush | Total VT Rush |
|---|---|---|---|
| vs. Pitt | 6 rush, 33 yards (5.5 avg.) | 7 rush, 18 yards (2.6 avg.) | 28 rush, 90 yards |
| vs. Syracuse | 21 rush, 151 yards (7.2 avg.), 3 TDs | 10 rush, 78 yards (7.8 avg.) | 44 rush, 260 yards |
| at Georgia Tech | 25 rush, 103 yards (4.1 avg.) | 14 rush, 83 yards (5.9 avg.) | 53 rush, 233 yards |
| at Boston College | 13 rush, 70 yards (5.4 avg.) | 12 rush, 67 yards (5.6 avg.) | 34 rush, 162 yards |
| vs. Duke | 7 rush, 10 yards (1.4 avg.) | 12 rush, 117 yards (9.8 avg.), 1 TD | 41 rush, 297 yards |
| at Miami | 7 rush, 39 yards (5.6 avg.) | 2 rush, 3 yards (1.5 avg.) | 43 rush, 227 yards |
| at Virginia | 4 rush, 12 yards (3.0 avg.) | 18 rush, 169 yards (9.4 avg.), 1 TD | 47 rush, 320 yards |
| Maryland | 5 rush, 7 yards (1.4 avg.) | 12 rush, 46 yards (3.8 avg.) | 48 rush, 122 yards |
Why the production varied week-to-week is a mystery. But it brings us back to the question, "what will the running back rotation look like for Virginia Tech?"
Holt admitted he'd like to feed the hot hand if one presents itself, and he also said that a No. 1 back often emerges in a natural way. Throughout fall camp, it seemed like it would be Thomas, and assuming he'll be back to 100% sometime in September, everyone will get a sense of what he can provide. But everything points to it being a more consistent distribution rather than the roller coaster like 2021.
"I still think we have to figure out how it shakes out, but I’d say Malachi and Holston, they’re leading the top, and a lot of guys have really stepped up over the summer," Bowen told the media on Aug. 5
That's how Bowen felt four days into fall camp. If one of Holston or Thomas are healthy, that'll be the No. 1 option. But what if they can't go?
Utilizing A King
In that instance, Virginia Tech will likely turn to Keshawn King. A redshirt junior from Orange Park, Fla., he's had an up-and-down career in Blacksburg.He appeared in 11 games as a freshman in 2019, played only three times in 2020 and was used in nine games last year, carrying the ball 29 times. King's dealt with fumbles on occasion, too. One of the most glaring came in the first quarter of the 2021 season-opener against North Carolina when the Hokies were at the 10-yard line.
But with a the new coaching staff, King is a player that has a clean slate. Holt and Pry have both described him as Tech's "most explosive player," and Holt said he "has a really good skillset."
"He’s fast, he’s quick, he’s a competitor," Pry said on the first edition of this season's Tech Talk Live. "You know, he’s continuing to work on his hands, his ball skills, where we can line him up at tailback, line him up at slot, motion him out, motion him in. Coach Bowen has done a great job utilizing Keshawn right now, and he needs to be a big part. He needs to have a good year for us."
He and Chance Black are in a similar boat. They're two quick players that are better suited running outside the tackles. They'd both be fine options in the backfield if 1A and 1B can't go, but it would also take away from them being utilized in Swiss Army knife roles.
"What impresses me most right now is how much they've improved," Pry said. "They've really invested, both of them. Coach Holt's done an outstanding job. The mindset, the maturity, the approach to meetings and practice. It's a difference. It's noticeable, and it's noticeable in their play now."
Duke and Christian
Without Thomas and Holston injured at the moment, Duke and Christian have received more reps. They've been behind King and Black in the drills, and Christian was wearing a different number in Wednesday's practice, likely signifying his role on Tech's scout team.
[caption id="attachment_7296778" align="alignnone" width="2100"]
Could Bryce Duke play for Virginia Tech in 2022? (Jon Fleming)
But an interesting question looms: if the injury report does not change between now and the first few weeks of the year, does the coaching staff dare use Duke and/or Christian in the backfield to give King and/or Black snaps in more unique areas? The younger tandem is likely more made for Tech's bread and butter - the inside zone - and Duke could play in four games and still redshirt thanks to the NCAA's adjustment of that rule.
On Wednesday, Pry called Holston's minor injury "kind of a blessing in disguise," stating, "those other guys need the reps." As fall camp comes to a close, how has the quartet made use of those opportunities?
Out of all of the positions to keep an eye on, the running back room is at the top, especially with the current injuries. How that unit looks in the season-opener will likely change over the first few weeks.