As the frantic buzz begins to die down surrounding the Sun Belt Conference and its rocky relationship with the Vandals, Idaho head coach Paul Petrino and his team turn their attention toward spring practices.
The Vandals have a favorable schedule for the 2016 season, but the team needs to determine key competition at specific positions if the program is to reach a bowl game next year.
One of the major roles Idaho will need to fill is the one left behind by former Vandal Elijhaa Penny. The running back rushed for 1,159 yards and 10 touchdowns during the 2015 season, and his presence in the backfield provided a formidable counter to the aerial attack of sophomore quarterback Matt Linehan.
But with the loss of Penny, the Vandals will need to quickly develop a roster highlighted by young talent.
Only two of Idaho’s seven running backs next season will be upperclassmen. One of those players is Aaron Duckworth, who is poised to earn the starting nod from Petrino.
Duckworth enters the spring with perhaps the most experience of the seven players at the position. The sophomore rushed for 260 yards on 73 attempts for the Vandals last year and averaged 23.6 yards per game.
Although Duckworth saw inconsistent time in the backfield, his experience on the collegiate gridiron is substantially greater than any other Vandal running back.
The next athlete with the closest experience to that of Duckworth is California native Isaiah Saunders. The redshirt freshman rushed for 40 yards on 13 attempts for Idaho in 2015.
Despite the lack of playing time, Saunders will likely be Duckworth’s primary competition in the battle for the starting role. But Vandal fans should not rule out a surprise showing from redshirt Denzal Brantley.
The former MVP of the high school Sunset League provides a dual threat as a potential passing option for Linehan. In addition to an impressive high school rushing resume, Brantley had seven receptions for 106 yards and two touchdowns at Los Alamitos High School.
Another Idaho running back to keep an eye on is high school recruit Dylan Thigpen. The running back will join the Vandals in the fall as a freshman, but he could promptly contribute to the Idaho ground game.
The recruit led the high school Baseline League by rushing for 1,855 yards on 260 carries for Damien High School as a senior.
As Petrino surveys the backfield talent this spring, he will likely be guiding a core group of running backs who will be immediately challenged this upcoming season. Although it is unlikely the team will duplicate last year’s running game with young players, the Idaho head coach can take satisfaction in knowing a developed backfield could anchor the team for years to come.
Josh Grissom can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @GoshJrissom