University of Massachusets Athletics
Running For Daylight
August 18, 2006 | Football
Aug. 18, 2006
By JEFF THOMAS
Springfield Republican
AMHERST - One football, four running backs. Something's gotta give, right?
Not so, says University of Massachusetts football coach Don Brown, whose team is poised for another run at the Atlantic 10 title.
The Minutemen are stacked with talented tailbacks, led by senior captain and four-year starter Steve Baylark. They have two Division I-A transfers behind him and a highly touted 2005 recruit in the mix as well, giving UMass four threats on the ground.
"It's probably one of the deeper positions on our football team," Brown said yesterday at the team's media day at McGuirk Alumni Stadium. "It certainly starts with Steve Baylark, but it certainly doesn't end there."
The Minutemen averaged 133.2 yards a game on the ground in 2005, most of it coming from Baylark, who is looking to become only the third player in Division I-AA (Jerry Azumah, New Hampshire; Adrian Peterson, Georgia Southern) to rush for over 1,000 yards in four seasons.
This year, Baylark has 2005 Connecticut transfer Matt Lawrence behind him, as well as 2006 Syracuse transfer Tim Washington. Also, Tony Nelson, a prize recruit last year who redshirted in 2005, is ready to carry the ball.
"We got weapons," Baylark said. "I feel them breathing down by neck. But it's competitive. We've got competition everywhere on the field.
"I told the coaches I'm glad y'all recruit, it's y'all job. You recruit every position and you recruit guys that can play and when you bring them in you want to make the guy that's here work harder," Baylark said.
Baylark and Lawrence were supposed to make a dangerous tandem last year, but on Lawrence's first carry of the season he suffered an ankle injury that would keep him out the rest of the season.
He used his redshirt season in 2005 and has two more years with the Minutemen.
"Matt Lawrence, who we had one carry for nine yards out of last year, is very healthy," Brown said. "He ran a 4.4 40 for us, and he's a talented guy."
Brown said Nelson is getting better with each carry and that Washington, who has only this season of eligibility remaining after playing three seasons with the Orange, is a jack-of-all-trades: a good runner, a strong receiver out of the backfield and an exceptional special teams player.
Of course, it takes more than a good runner to make a running game, and UMass feels it has the necessary components.
Kyle B. Harrington returns as the starting fullback entering camp, with junior Brandon White and Rutgers transfer E.J. Barthel also out for the job.
Also, sophomore quarterback Liam Coen is coming off a superb first season and has a bevy of talented receivers to compliment the running game.
Then there is the offensive line, a veteran group led by seniors Alex Miller and David Thompson that not only managed to keep Coen upright more than any other quarterback in the A-10 last season, but has also celebrated every yard the backs gain.
"I've been running behind the same line since I've been here," Baylark said. "They said they promised me 2,000 yards this year, and I told them if I get 2,000, it's always the same deal, I'll take them out or whatever. And they said they'll get me a 200-yard game this year. They're always telling me I'm two yards short."
Baylark rushed for 198 yards against Maine last year, a career high mark. He has 3,372 yards in his career on 766 carries. Baylark has no chance to catch UMass all-time leader Marcel Shipp in carries and yards, but a healthy season will make him No.2.
At 6-foot, 225 pounds, Baylark is a power runner and a workhorse. If his numbers get near 2,000 yards, UMass could go deep into the postseason.
