Aug. 20, 2015
Throughout the course of the Bears' preseason training camp, we'll take a sneak peek at each position group in anticipation of the 2015 season. Today we take a look at the suddenly-crowded Missouri State offensive backfield, led by four standout returning letterwinners and three talented newcomers who will look to push the veteran group for playing time under the direction of first-year running backs coach Munir Prince.
Having to divide playing time among a deep pool of players dedicated to improving every day is a predicament Prince relishes. A former Division I running back during his playing days at Notre Dame and Missouri, Prince has been encouraged by the progress of his pupils, in terms of both physical and mental gains, since his arrival in Springfield this past January.
"The one thing I'm excited about with this group is the constant work on fundamentals," Prince said. "The constant work on ball security, the constant work on alignment; these are things they caught on during spring ball and they've continued them throughout the summer. The biggest part for us is the mental aspect, understanding the playbook and getting the fundamentals down."
Led by Calan Crowder's Missouri State freshman record rushing total of 766 yards, the Bears ranked fourth in the Missouri Valley Football Conference in ground yardage (180.7 ypg.) last fall. Crowder finished ninth in the MVFC and 74th nationally in overall rushing yards to earned MVFC All-Newcomer Team honors, as well as a spot on the CFPA National Freshman Performer of the Year Watch List. The Bartlesville, Okla., product made a strong push to retain his hold on the starting job in MSU's first scrimmage of the preseason, totaling 208 yards thanks to touchdown runs of 97 and 66 yards.
"I told the guys when I got here that even though they may have played last year, they're all newcomers now," Prince commented. "I have been impressed with all of these guys, just from their improvement from day one. I thought everybody showed flashes that they can be great running backs."
Crowder should once again receive plenty of support from senior Ryan Heaston and junior Phoenix Johnson, whom he teamed with to total 1,648 of MSU's 2,168 rushing yards in 2014. Heaston, a former MVFC All-Newcomer Team honoree and a Freshman All-American, has been slowed by injuries in each of the last two seasons, but rebounded to rack up 320 yards on 70 rushes last fall. Johnson tallied 575 rushing yards, good for second on the squad, a year ago, and will once again look to use his speed and versatility to break down opposing defenses in his third season as a Bear.
Senior Cedric Miller brings 30 games of experience into his final season with the Bears, much of which has been as a key contributor on special teams. The Memphis, Tenn., native carried the ball 41 times for 127 yards as a sophomore, but will face a stiff challenge from redshirt freshmen Nick Masoner and Jason Randall for playing time this fall. A versatile athlete, Masoner was an all-state performer at running back for Excelsior Springs (Mo.) High, while also earning all-district and all-conference honors as a defensive back. Randall was a prep standout at Leavenworth (Kan.) High, where he rushed for 1,370 yards and 15 touchdowns as a senior to earn first-team all-state recognition.
True freshman Gerard Harker rounds out the Bears' deep stable of backs, joining the MSU program after rushing for more than 1,600 yards and 26 touchdowns over his final two prep seasons at Kansas City's Archbishop O'Hara High.
"The best thing about this group is the versatility," Prince added. "Each player brings something different to the table, and that's what you need from your running backs."
2015 Missouri State Running Backs
Calen Crowder (6-1, 200, So., 1L, Bartlesville, Okla.)
Gerard Harker (5-10, 180, Fr., Lee's Summit, Mo.)
Ryan Heaston (5-10, 175, Sr., 3L, Cordova, Tenn.)
Phoenix Johnson (5-9, 187, Jr., 2L, Webb City, Mo.)
Nick Masoner (6-0, 213, RFr., Excelsior Springs, Mo.)
Cedric Miller (6-0, 190, Sr., 3L, Memphis, Tenn.)
Jason Randall (5-9, 204, RFr., Thomasville, Ga.)
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