College Football
As we edge closer to the start of College Football season some teams are coming back with experience while other teams will see new faces. One team that will for sure see a new face is Penn State. Since former running back Saquon Barkley is now with the New York Giants, it leaves someone to fill the void at the running back position. That person is Miles Sanders
The Depth
Penn State has solid depth at the running back position. In fact, they have four other running backs not including Sanders. Those other running backs are red shirt seniors Mark Allen and Johnathan Thomas. Additionally, they have red shirt freshman Journey Brown along with incoming five-star recruit Ricky Slade.
The Answer
Miles Sanders is the clear go to guy for Franklin. The number one recruit in the class of 2016 showed fans what he is capable of doing in a short time span. He came in as a true freshman and did some maturing and learning along the way. On the other hand, Sanders also had the time to learn and train with Barkley. Something that will pay off for him in his next two seasons with the Nittany Lions.
The Stats
Thus far in his career, Sanders has rushed for 375 yards on 56 carries. While some people may argue that’s little, he averages almost seven yards per carry. Though Barkley’s numbers are a bit more impressive with 671 carries for 3,845 yards. Albeit Barkley averaged six yards a carry.
The Long-Term Solution
Besides Sanders, Franklin has said they need all hands on deck when talking about replacing Saquon’s production. Just because Sanders is the next man up doesn’t mean that Franklin won’t go ahead and give playing time to the two red shirt seniors because he will. Also, look for Franklin to perhaps try Journey Brown in some scenarios given that Brown does own the single-game Pennsylvania rushing record with 722 yards on 10 touchdowns. Furthermore, it’s unclear if Ricky Slade will red shirt or be given the opportunity for some playing time. It’s worth mentioning that Slade is the most coveted running back in this year’s class of commits.
Conclusion
Look for Franklin to give Sanders the majority of playing time because he was recruited as Barkley’s replacement. However, don’t be surprised if another running back comes into play considering it’s stacked with depth and Franklin and Rahne don’t want to waste that.
