PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – A day after Israel Abanikanda turned scout's heads during the team's Pro Day, Pitt football practiced looking for the next impact running back.
First choice is two-year veteran Rodney Hammond, Jr. The junior has a couple of 100-yard games in his career. He also scored a couple of touchdowns against West Virginia before missing the next month-and-a-half with a foot injury. Hammond filled in for Abanikanda against Syracuse rushing for 124 yards and then ran for 94 yards in the Sun Bowl with a pair of touchdowns.
"Everybody thinks that Izzy left, what are the other RBs going to do?" said redshirt senior RB Daniel Carter. "All of us have to step up regardless. He's (Hammond) done a great job, especially in the passing game, knowing who he's got. Knowing his reads, knowing how to slow down and predict tempo and find cuts."
"The one thing that gives me the most confidence about Rodney is his maturity and his overall knowledge of our system and football in general," said Pitt running backs coach Andre Powell. "He has really, really worked hard at learning football. Not only offense, but defense as well which helps you anticipate."
Powell said Hammond would have likely played even more last year, but he said how could he justify taking Abanikanda off the field given the season he was having? Last year was Abanikanda's third season, same now with Hammond and Powell says there are similarities in that they are learning and trusting the process.
"Two years ago, Izzy would just run," Powell said Thursday. "He would run in the wrong hole and when he learned where the ball should go based on the defense. He also learned that every run is not a home run. Rodney is doing the same thing, on the same track."
"Rodney's DNA is different than Izzy's DNA-Izzy is 217 pounds and ran a 4.3, 40 and verticalled 41". I'm not for sure that Rodney is that, but Rodney is a talented back who has gotten a lot better."
In the same vein, there are things that the ninth year Pitt tailback coach likes about Hammond. Most notably his toughness running the ball or anything else he does.
"Rodney would get the same yards and more, but he has a knack that when everyone thinks he's stopped," Powell said. "He's not. He's not stopped. He always finds a way to get two or three more yards when everybody thinks he's stopped. That's one of the things that makes him special."
"He's done good," Carter said. "I know he is going to step up to the challenge. He knows that this year as a group it's a big year for us."
Carter hopes to be a part of that group. Last year in spot duty noting to reporters he can do everything tailbacks can even at 5'10", 240 pounds. He says he can do a lot of things other backs can't. Carter started four games last year rushing 16 times for 51 yards with a pair of touchdowns, one against the Mountaineers.
"When my number is called, I'm ready to play," Carter said. "Whenever the ball is in my hands, getting a first down or get however many yards the team needs."
Where Powell really see his value is teaching the younger players. It's a role he excels at as he has the knowledge to teach the position like a coach. Then on the field, as he said, he'll do whatever.
"Daniel is like an adjustable wrench-he can do anything in the backfield and some things on the line," Powell said. He's the smartest guy in the room."
"I don't know if you can put a price tag on what he does. It's unbelievable."
Powell said LSU transfer Derrick Davis, Jr. is very talented (a four-star recruit out of Gateway HS), but has a long way to go to be ready to understand what the Pitt offense is about. Davis moved from safety to running back at the end of last year and Powell said there are a lot of moving parts with the offense Davis doesn't yet understand.
Freshman TJ Harvison enrolled early to be a part of Spring drills. He's 6'1", 195 pounds who rushed for 2,026 yards and 23 touchdowns in the Fall. He was First-Team All-State in Georgia and the MVP of the state title game rushing for 212 yards and a touchdown.
"TJ is a hard worker," Powell said. "He's trying really hard, there is so much volume. We have so many plays. So many adjustments, it's just a lot. It's beginning to slow down a little for him."
"He's got some 'High School Harry' things we are trying to break him out of. He can't run around the edge every time, he's got to stick it in there and run vertical. He's getting better. I'm not discouraged at all by his performance at all."
What Powell is working to instill in all his players is that college football is not a job, it's a career. What he means by that is a job ends when you come home, but you continue to work on your career all the time. It's the time outside of the mandatory time that Powell believes will separate the backs and speed up the process.
