BEAUMONT, Texas – With the start of preseason camp in full swing, and Lamar University entering its second week of drills, LamarCardinals.com will be doing its annual position-by-position breakdown of the team heading into the season opener against Idaho (Aug. 31, 2023).
 
Today LamarCardinals.com will breaking down the LU running backs.
 
RB Quick Facts:
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 4/1
Starters Returning/Lost: 1/0
Newcomers: 3
 
Stats: The Cardinals carried the ball 463 times last season for 1943 yards (4.2 ypc) with 15 touchdowns. Big Red finished fourth in the conference averaging nearly 176 rushing yards per game. As a unit, the Cardinal running backs also hauled in 27 passes for 183 yards and a touchdown.
 
The Storyline
Big Red's ground attack should be a strength in 2023. The Cardinals not only return starter Khalan Griffin (5-10, 220, Jr.), but three other returning letterwinners who all have the ability to carry the load and be the feature back. Fortunately, with this amount of talent on the roster, no one individual will have to be the "featured back," but it's nice to know the Cardinals have that weaponry at its disposal.
 
Headlining the group is preseason first-team All-Southland Conference selection, Khalan Griffin. A former FBS transfer, all Griffin did was come in last year take over the starting role and lead the team in rushing. Griffin has speed to go with his size at the position and runs the ball with a bit of an aggressive attitude (and we mean that in a good way). Griffin ended the season with 109 carries for 619 yards (5.7 ypc) and six scores.
 
A Phil Steele First-Team All-Southland Conference selection last season on special teams, Damashja Harris has all the attributes to be a starter with good size and speed (6-2, 220). He started two games last season (playing in eight) and recorded 54 carries for 200 yards, an average of nearly four yards per carry. Harris brings big-play ability, and he put that on display last season against Houston Christian where he was named SLC Special Teams Player of the Week after setting a school record with a 100-yard kick return against the Huskies.
 
R.J. Carver is another option for the Red and White who simply can't be overlooked. Although just a sophomore athletically, Carver is entering his third season with the Red and White having played in 14 games already during his career. The McKinney, Texas native was the team's third-leading rusher last season toting the ball 66 times for 324 yards (4.9 ypc) and two touchdowns. Side note, R.J. isn't the only Carver on the LU roster this season, but the other Carver (Royce) is a linebacker.
 
The Cardinals added Major Bowden to the mix last season. After a highly touted prep career, Bowden came in and proved himself to be one of the top freshmen in the league. Bowden led the Cardinals in all-purpose yards during his rookie season. He was second on the team in rushing (71 carries for 328 yards) and was second on the team in kick return yards. Bowden's 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown at rival McNeese would've gone down as one of the most memorable plays of entire athletic season had it not been for Harris' school record 100-yard return earlier in the year. Bowden did receiver SLC Special Teams Player of the Week honors for his efforts on the field – the fourth time last season that a Cardinal received the honor.
 
The great thing about having a talented stable of backs is that Lamar's newcomers to the position will have the opportunity to learn from the veterans without all of the pressure being placed on them immediately. Big Red has brought in a trio of backs which includes Arkansas-Monticello transfer Dorian Manuel (5-6, 175), Deshaun Brundage (5-11, 205) and Rashaad Johnson (5-9, 207).
 
The Cardinals will kick off the 2023 season at home Thursday, Aug. 31^st against Idaho. That game is slated for a 7 p.m. kick off. Once again this season, all Cardinal home games will be televised on ESPN+.