Miami's Running Backs Must Step Up With A Key Player Injured

How many running backs will show out this spring?

The Miami running back room has a new leader and a unique situation with a key injury keeping the starter out for spring practice.

Taking over for Tim Harris, Jr. would be Matt Merritt, who is coming over to The U from USF. He certainly has a unique experience with working knowledge of what it's like to coach former Ohio State and NFL star Ezekiel Elliott and work with Urban Meyer, among his coaching stops.

He's taking on a unique challenge this spring with Mark Fletcher, Jr. wearing a boot due to a Lisfranc joint injury in his foot. It's not a quick-healing injury and Miami must move forward as if Fletcher is not even ready for the beginning of the 2024 season when it travels to Gainesville to play the Florida Gators.

That is hard to accept because Fletcher was the bell cow running back towards the end of the 2023 season, with CFB Stats showing him with 68 carries, 332 yards, and 3 touchdowns during a four-game stretch late in the season.

So, which Canes help the running back depth continue to progress until Fletcher is back and competing with his teammates? Here's a breakdown of the position and expectations.

Which Running Back Leads The Way?

Until otherwise proven, Henry Parrish, Jr. should be the player to watch. The fifth-year senior has plenty of experience and should be the likely starter out of the gate.

The 2023 season has Parrish with 625 yards and 6 touchdowns, and he averaged 6.3 yards per tote. Here's the issue.

The question resides with whether Parrish can be a year-long starting runner and produce at the same level during Game 1 and Game 12. He did not accomplish that task in 2023, per Pro Football Focus grades. 

Rating from 68.7% efficiency to 82.7% from the first five games he played in, the Miami running back later went through four games with grades ranging from 54% to 62.4%. That's probably due to being banged up. Then again, that's the point.

Can Parrish stay healthy enough to play at a high level for 12 contests? He's the likely leader of the pack, but this probably does need to truly be a group effort; running back attrition is a reality of football in general anyway.

Do The Canes Possess Enough Depth?

At least one of Ajay Allen, TreVonte' Citizen, and Chris Johnson, Jr. must display the ability to at least compete for starter's reps. 

Allen's speed and elusiveness is evident. Now, does he vastly improve his pass blocking? If the answer is yes, the Canes will have a great one-two punch with Parrish and Allen, at the very least.

Citizen all but missed two years with leg injuries. He's a hard-charging big back who possesses similar traits to Fletcher. For now, he's the wildcard. If Citizen is healthy, however, he's a tremendously talented young man and could be a bulldozer with speed. The final returning player to think about is like a Ferrari.

Zoom zoom! Johnson is a pure burner. One missed tackle and goodbye! The Hurricanes are likely going to find ways to use Johnson in the slot and the screen game as well. He's not the biggest player, but one cannot teach sub-10.3 100-meter speed.

Even without Fletcher, this is a deep group, but there are concerns.

What Are The Biggest Questions To Be Answered Beyond Fletcher's Injury?

There's not enough experience; at least not from a college coaching staff's perspective. Also, there's no proven big back with Fletcher on the mend. Hopefully, Citizen makes that question go away.

Finally, quarterback Cam Ward must be protected and these young men must all be capable pass blockers. Will they be? It's paramount that the answer is yes.

Help On The Way?

Miami's 2024 recruiting class has two running backs. Chris Wheatley-Humphrey is similar to Johnson in that he can flat-out run by defenders, as well as make them miss. He's at UM now but it's hard to say what role he will earn while competing with older players.

A more all-around running back in Jordan Lyle is coming to Coral Gables this summer, but that's down the road. He does possess the talent to compete right away.

2024 Spring Practice Outlook

Miami has talent. It's just a matter of figuring out if one or more running backs display the ability to do all of run well between the tackles, be big-play threats, catch and block well, and be durable. Miami needs multiple running backs that showcase the consistent ability to do all of the above. That's not easy.

In short, playing running back at the Power 4 level is a gauntlet of challenges. Let's see how Miami's running back depth chart works itself out. It's going to be an interesting competition between these talented players.