Spring Practice 2020 Position Preview – Running Backs

Stevie Scott (8) scores against Northwestern Image: Amanda Pavelka Hoosier Huddle

Written by: TJ Inman (@TJHoosierHuddle)

LSU fans and players are probably still soaking up the joy of their unbeaten national title season but time stops for no man and spring football is already right around the corner. Players have been getting after it in the weight room and IU will now hit the practice field for the first time under new offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan. Hoosier Huddle is breaking down each position group prior spring ball and today, we look at a group with a talented duo at the top and a need to develop depth: running back.

Stevie Scott – Junior

Scott ran battled injuries during his sophomore season but still gained 845 yards (4.7 ypc) with ten touchdowns and added 211 receiving yards. His play earned him second team All-Big Ten honors. He is just 18 yards shy of 2,000 for his career and the junior is a cornerstone piece of the IU attack.

Sampson James – Sophomore

Sampson James (24) Image: Amanda Pavelka Hoosier Huddle

The talented sophomore was a bit slow to get going but he ultimately had 275 yards on just 81 carries and he was massive in IU’s win at Purdue with 118 yards and a score. James looks poised to handle a larger load in 2020.

Stevie Scott and Sampson James provide a one-two punch that will be among the best duos at the position in the Big Ten. However, the Hoosiers lost Cole Gest, Ivory Winters and Ronnie Walker to transfer. This leaves the position with some questionable depth that will need to be developed during the spring. The departure of the other scholarship running backs means there is only one more scholarship back on the roster, thankfully he is an early enrollee that will participate this spring.

Tim Baldwin – Freshman

A late addition to the 2020 class, Tim Baldwin was a three-star running back from Nokesville, Virginia. He was a first-team all-state honoree in 2019 and ran for 1,604 yards with 25 touchdowns and he has a frame that should be able to add 10-15 pounds to handle the pounding a Big Ten running back takes. Baldwin showed the ability to break some big runs with a burst that Scott and James might not have. Given that Scott and James are somewhat experienced, I expect Baldwin to get a whole lot of work as the coaches try to get him ready for his role in 2020. This will be a great opportunity for the true freshman to earn the trust of the staff and his teammates, learn the playbook and develop the vision and patience he’ll need to use to be successful.

The Hoosiers also have a few walk-ons that will be heavily involved in the spring and one or two of them could factor in if there are injuries during the season.

Ahrod Lloyd – Redshirt Junior

The walk-on from Park Tudor High School in Indianapolis redshirted the 2017 season, played in nine games in 2018 and then appeared in every game last season. In fact, he earned a scholarship for the season during fall camp. Lloyd rushed ten times for 19 yards and returned three kicks for 45 yards.

Connor Thomas – Redshirt Senior

Thomas is a bigger back than Lloyd and has been used sparingly in short-yardage situations before. He ran the ball six times for 11 yards in three different games in 2019 and was the three-time special teams scout team player of the week.

Davion Ervin-Poindexter – Redshirt Freshman

Ervin-Poindexter is a walk-on from Merrillville High School in Indiana. He starred at Brother Rice High School in Chicago and was honorable mention all-state. He joined the program during fall camp in 2019 and did not see any game action last season.

If the coaching staff does not love their depth options at this position, they could explore the transfer portal for a back with immediate eligibility. However, it would be difficult to find someone willing to be a third back (at best) behind Scott and James. IU will also be adding prolific back Charlie Spegal to the program for fall camp and he could be a part of a solution to the depth issue once he adjusts to the college game.

Indiana knows what they have at the top with Stevie Scott and Sampson James. This spring will be about getting them acclimated to new offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan and comfortable with Michael Penix and Jack Tuttle. More importantly, the staff will be trying to develop some depth and players like Ahrod Lloyd and Tim Baldwin will be leaned on heavily.