BEAUMONT, Texas – Over the course of the next couple weeks we will be breaking down the 2018 Lamar University football team, position-by-position, leading into the season opener against Kentucky Christian Saturday, Sept. 1 at Provost Umphrey Stadium.
 
Today LamarCardinals.com will look at the LU running backs.


 
Quick Facts:
-Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 3/2
-Starters Returning/Lost: 0/1*
                *2017 starter Kendrick King has moved to receiver
-Top Returner: Myles Wanza – Finished third on the team with 79 attempts, but led the squad with 365 yards rushing. Also recorded two rushing touchdowns.
-Rushing Stats: As a team, LU finished middle of the pack in the SLC with 474 attempts for 1,753 yards (159.36 ypg) and 18 touchdowns. Quarterbacks accounted for 485 rushing yards and nine scores.
-Noteworthy: As a freshman, Myles Wanza helped lead LU to a second-half come from behind victory at Houston Baptist with a career-best 26 carries for 143 yards and a touchdown.
 
The Storyline
The Cardinals enter camp with five running backs, including three letterwinners from last year's squad. Here is where things get a little tricky, so stay with me. Despite the previously stated numbers, the Cardinals return four of their top five ground gainers from last season, but the top returning back is sophomore Myles Wanza, who was third on the team in 2017 with 79 carries for a team-best 365 yards.
 
Now to untangle the mess – junior Kendrick King led the team with 102 carries last season, but during the offseason he made the move to receiver (and that is no knock on King). Plus the Cardinals return dual-threat quarterback Darrel Colbert, Jr., who despite injuries was second on the team with 82 carries for 285 yards and a team-best five touchdowns.
 
Before we move on, let's get back to King. A Beaumont native, with two years of eligibility remaining, King is a versatile athlete who can, and will, help the offense in several different ways, but the move to receiver strengthens the Cards' wideouts. The move could also be made this year because the amount of talent Big Red returns in the back field, to go along with some talented newcomers.
 
Now let's get back to the Cardinals current list of running backs. The two most recognizable names are sophomore Myles Wanza and junior Derrion Randle. A speedster from Houston, Wanza showed flashes of brilliance last season and played a huge role in the Cardinals' come from behind win at Houston Baptist (26 carries for 143 yards and a touchdown). The veteran of the group, Randle started his career in the unenviable task of having to backup former All-American and LU all-time leading rusher Kade Harrington, but he could be primed for a breakout season in 2018. One of the fastest players on the team, he has recorded 44 carries for 112 yards and two scores in his career.
 
Another returning veteran is Cole Starnes, who only led all running backs last year with a 6.8 yards per carry average in limited playing time. Starnes also recorded the longest rush of the season – 67 yards – which went for a touchdown.
 
The coaching staff has also added A.J. Walker, a transfer from Dodge City Community College and local prospect, James Jones from Beaumont's West Brook High School. A three-star athlete (GridironRR.com), Walker is a bigger back, while Jones, whose twin brother is also a freshman on the squad, brings another element of speed to the position.


 
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