New Boys in the Backfield

Vandy to rely on newcomers to tote the rock in 2021

by Chad Bishop

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — There are not a lot of running backs on Vanderbilt’s 2021 roster. That just equates for more opportunities for all.

“You want them to get the reps – the meaningful reps – but also you got to get some other guys ready as well,” Vanderbilt running backs coach Norval McKenzie said. “We plan on playing three guys this season, hopefully we have a 1 and 2 guy and then a third guy as well. All guys got to be ready to play at any given time.”

Vandy will likely start the season with a pair of featured backs in Re’Mahn Davis and Rocko Griffin. The former has already had a solid start to his college career with some success formerly at Temple while the latter is the only Vanderbilt running back on the roster to log a rushing attempt.

The prospects of that 1-2 punch give the Commodores on offense some cautious optimism.

“(Davis) has done an unbelievable job of just making guys miss and having a lot of explosive runs from spring ball into camp,” McKenzie said. “(Griffin) is more of a bruiser, but does a really good job of getting you the tough yards, the additional yards you need on contact.

“Then Patrick (Smith) is still feeling his way out, but doing extremely well, too. Every now and then you may see him run over somebody. Even though he’s smaller in stature he’s still doing a really good job with the ball in his hands.”

Davis was born in San Francisco but played his prep ball in Blairstown, N.J. A lightly-recruiting prospect, the 5-foot-9, 205-pound Davis had scholarship offers from Navy and Purdue as a high school senior before enrolling at Temple.

His freshman campaign in Philadelphia was impressive. Davis totaled 936 yards on 193 attempts (4.85 yards per carry) in 12 of the Owls’ 13 games, scored eight touchdowns and was a freshman All-America selection by Pro Football Focus.

In back-to-back games that season against Georgia Tech and at East Carolina, respectively, Davis ran for a combined 292 yards.

Davis decided over the offseason to transfer to Vanderbilt after playing in four games for Temple in 2020.

 

Griffin (5-9, 203) was thrown into the fire as a true freshman during Vandy’s 2020 season and was handed the ball 37 times. He totaled 92 yards rushing one year after nearly reaching the 2,000-yard mark in all-purpose yards as a high school senior in southeast Georgia.

Davis and Griffin will be backed up by the speedy Smith and the physical Dylan Betts-Pauley. Both freshmen, Smith and Betts-Pauley will get their opportunities due to necessity as much as promise.

Smith (5-10, 180) ran for more than 1,700 yards during his senior season in New Jersey while Betts-Pauley (5-11, 240) starred at Hoover High School (Alabama). 

 

 

“We’ll use (Davis and Griffin) both and I even think there’s room for a third piece to that, too,” Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea said. “I think in our league and with our schedule that position – it’s a physical game. As far as who takes the majority of the snaps and who gets the majority of the carries there will be a 1 and a 2 and a 3.

“It’s just a matter of who shows that ability from now until game day to be the most-productive.”

Senior Luke Blanton, a linebacker who played in six games in 2020, has transitioned to a position in the backfield and could define the role as fullback for the Commodores. Freshman James Ziglor from Georgia is a cornerback, but his experience at running back in high school – he had 1,058 all-purpose yards as a senior and scored 12 times – has earned him a few carries during fall camp as well.

— Chad Bishop covers Vanderbilt for VUCommodores.com.
Follow him @MrChadBishop.