Source link : https://pksportsnews.com/2024/08/02/2024-aggie-positional-preview-running-backs/
Football
8/1/2024 10:00:00 AM
Story Links
DAVIS, Calif. – Boasting arguably one of the deepest and talented running back rooms in the country UC Davis football enters the season feeling good about the Aggies who will be coming out of the backfield in 2024.
“Our running back room has high expectations,” said assistant coach (running backs) Kevin Burke. “We have a lot of familiar faces returning this year, which is good for any position group to have. I’m excited to see what this group can do this year, as we have many talented guys that we can line up in the back field.”
When it comes to touches in 2023 UC Davis returns senior Lan Larison, junior Matteo Perez and sophomore Jordan Fisher. But the room can also claim experienced backs in junior Darian Leon-Guerrero and sophomore Kai Acia. Carter Vargas joins the room as an incoming freshman and junior Michal Ingrassia makes the move over from the quarterback room to help deepen the Aggie back field.
The Davis back field also returns a combined career total of 2,536 yards on the ground, with Larison’s 2,169 yards leading the way. Both Larison (24) and Perez (two) have scored on the ground in their careers, giving UC Davis a returning total of 26 rushing touchdowns.
“I’m excited for these guys to get opportunities as progress through the season,” said Burke. “There’s a lot of different phases of the game that they are all good at, so it’s a good problem for us to have as we look to incorporate each skill set into our offense.”
The headliner coming out of the room is the highly decorated Larison. Named to the 2024 Walter Payton Preseason Watch List, Larison has also earned a pair of Preseason First Team All-American honors from FCS Football Central and Stats Perform and he earned a spot on the Shrine Bowl 1000 Watch List. He was named the Big Sky Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and was named to the Big Sky Preseason All-Conference team by both the conference and Phil Steele.
Despite only playing in eight games due to injury, Larison finished 2023 with 1,101 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns, placing him among the nation’s best.
Larison also finished ranked 12th in the nation in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns and his 15 total touchdowns put him eighth in the country. And he led the conference in all-purpose yards (1,299) and finished second in the league in rushing yards and third in rushing touchdowns.
“I think there’s a lot that Lan still has to show and we are really excited for him to come back and showcase his hard work,” added Burke. “He’s been getting after it and is becoming a more versatile player for us, which is exciting to see for his development as a running back.”
The lone senior in the room isn’t the only back with yards from 2023 under their belt entering the season, both Fisher and Perez each for over 20 carries through the season as they looked to make a difference. Fisher finished with 115 yards on 29 carries while Perez scrambled for 111 on 23 touches adding a touchdown on the ground in the season opener at Texas A&M-Commerce where he finished with a season-high 88 yards on the ground.
“Matteo is someone we’re really excited about,” said Burke. “He got injured early at Oregon State and never had an opportunity to come back and help us during the season, and that hurt us because we need him for depth at the position. He can catch, block and run the rock, attacking the offense like he’s 250 pounds.
“Jordan has a lot of experience, and he even started for us last year against Montana. Having his experience for a young guy is crucial. He’s an exciting back, more like a Barry Sanders-type, and he’s put in a lot of work this offseason in terms of his development and understanding of the playbook.”
Additionally, Vargas comes to Davis from Santa Maria, Calif. While Leon-Guerrero returns after scrambling to 55 yards on 17 touches during 2023. Acia gives the Aggie back field more depth, while Ingrassia makes the move over from quarterback to add strength to the room.
“Kai is a local kid who has put in a lot of time, effort and energy into the offseason,” said Burke. “He won our ‘Ultimate Warrior’ competition which we award to the Aggie who leads the way in offseason development of strength and condition so he has been kicking butt in the weight room and getting his football IQ up.
“Carter coming in is a highly talented player out of Santa Maria and we are really excited about his ability. He is a bigger dude who can catch like a receiver and be a big presence between the tackles. His biggest challenge is getting an understanding of the playbook., but we feel he’s working hard to get there.”
Having one of the best players in the country to hand the ball off to is helpful for any running back room but add in the experience and depth that the UC Davis back field brings each week and fans can expect whoever is carrying to ball to be exciting and talented.
2024 FALL CAMP: UC Davis opens fall camp on July 31 and all practices are open to media and fans. The Aggies will split time between the grass of Bob Biggs Practice Field and the turf of UC Davis Health Stadium. Fans and media can watch the Aggies regardless of which field they are on.
Filming and photography are ALLOWED for all sessions of practice held on BOB BIGGS PRACTICE FIELD (grass-field). Filming and photography are PROHIBITED for all sessions of practice held on the UC DAVIS HEALTH STADIUM turf field.
Players and coach Plough will be available to the media in the Bruce Edwards Club Room following each practice. Specific times are listed on the fall camp schedule.
UC Davis opens the season at Cal on Aug. 31, with kick set for 2 p.m. The Aggies open UC Davis Health Stadium on Sept. 7 with a 7 p.m. kickoff against Texas A&M-Commerce.
Fans can buy season tickets, group tickets, mini plans, single game tickets and corporate ticket packages, by clicking the links or by calling the Aggie Ticket Office at (530) 752-2471 or by emailing [email protected].
Author :
Publish date : 2024-08-02 05:05:20
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
—-
Author : pksportsnews
Publish date : 2024-08-02 06:35:40
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.