Aug. 15, 2007
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Preseason Central | Buy Season Tickets | Nashville Night
Running Back Preseason camp should be exciting for the Commodores’ deep and talented corps of backs.
While the two top performers from last year’s one-back set are Cassen Jackson-Garrison (6-1, 215, Sr.) and Jared Hawkins (5-10, 195, R-So.), arguably the most watched back might be Jeff Jennings (6-1, 215), a redshirt junior that didn’t play a snap last year.
Jackson-Garrison started all 12 games last year, showing plenty of grit by playing the season opener at Michigan just two weeks after undergoing an appendectomy. He set a career high in rushing yards, but struggled in crucial short yardage situations. Hawkins displayed an excellent power-running style as a productive rusher in his redshirt freshman campaign. Hawkins also averaged nearly seven yards a carry, displaying an awesome ability to read teammates’ blocks. As he adds versatility as a more deft blocker and receiver, Hawkins value to the offense could soar.
Jennings missed all last season recuperating from a knee injury that occurred late in the 2005 campaign. The months of rehab became obvious in Spring Practice with Jennings showing the explosiveness and physicality that made him a starter two years ago. If Jennings returns to ’05 form, the Commodores will be, without question, an improved and deeper team. Jennings’ top strengths – running downhill inside the tackles, converting on key third and short situations, catching the ball as a receiver and effectively blocking blitzing linebackers – were occasional areas of concern with the Commodore attack last year.
The Commodores also have four young candidates with plenty of upside at running back. Gaston Miller (5-7, 165, So.) is a lightning quick runner while Kennard Reeves (5-11, 195, R-Fr.) made greater strides than any Commodore during spring drills. The staff also is enthusiastic about the power and athleticism of Ryan van Rensburg (6-1, 215, Fr.) and the elusive potential of Jermaine Doster (5-10, 205).