Tulsa Football Preview: Running Backs
9/1/2020 11:00:00 AM | Football
The Tulsa running back corps is expected to be a strength for the Hurricane this year as the group returns a combined 4,541 career yards and 51 touchdowns.
"There's no doubt in my mind or coach Hill's mind that this is the most talented running back room we've ever had. I feel very, very comfortable will all of those guys being in a game," said Tulsa Head Coach Philip Montgomery.
Led by returning second-team all-conference selection Shamari Brooks (5-9, 190) Tulsa's career rushing yards and touchdowns for the running back group is the nation's second-highest total returning in 2020, second only to Clemson's 5,887 yards and 74 TDs.
Brooks leads the way with 2,700 career yards and 23 touchdowns, while Corey Taylor II (5-10, 215) has totaled 1,490 yards and 22 TDs in his career. The two other running backs who have added to that total include sophomore TK Wilkerson (6-2, 229) with 315 yards and six TDs and redshirt freshman Christian Lovick (5-9, 188), who toted the ball for the first time in last year's season finale against East Carolina for 36 yards on nine attempts.
"We feel like we have good talent back there," said Montgomery. "We have to make sure we're fining way of getting them the football, keeping them involved whether that's through the passing game, running game, screen game, whatever that might be. We have to get those guys involved and get the ball in their hands because they can do some special things with it."
"Shamari and Corey have been doing it and doing it really well for that last few years. TK really took some big steps last year and Christian is a really dynamic back," added Montgomery.
Top Returning Running Back Groups
(Schools with nation's top returning RB groups for yards and TDs, excluding QBs)
RUSHING YARDS
Rk School Yards
1. Clemson 5,887
2. Tulsa 4,541
3. UAB 4,368
4. UCF 4,279
5. Toledo 4,199
RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS
Rk School TDs
1. Clemson 74
2. Tulsa 51
3. Toledo 49
4. Fresno State 45
5. UAB 42
Brooks rushed for his first 1,000-yard season in 2019 with 1,046 yards and six touchdowns, becoming just the 21st player in school history with a 1,000-yard season. He enters the 2020 campaign ranked 5th on the school's career rushing chart and 9th on the all-time TD rushing list. Brooks is 1,217 yards shy of tying for the school's career rushing lead of 3,917 yards, held by D'Angelo Brewer.
A fifth-year senior, Taylor totaled 461 yards and six touchdowns last year after coming off of an 846-yard, 11-TD performance a year earlier. Taylor and Wilkerson have been effective in short-yardage situations for the Hurricane but are as equally explosive and can take it the distance. Wilkerson, who rushed for 220 yards last year and also toted the ball for six scores, raced 75 yards on his first collegiate career carry as a true freshman against UConn in 2018.
Lovick, who red-shirted last year despite playing sparingly in three games, was effective as a prep ball-carrier and receiver. He rushed for 1,523 yards and 16 touchdowns and caught 27 passes for 342 yards his senior season at Tomball Memorial (Texas) High School.
Two SEC transfers join the Hurricane running back lineup in 2020, including Texas A&M transfer Deneric Prince (6-1, 214) and Anthony Watkins (6-0, 200) from Missouri.
Prince redshirted at A&M in 2018 after playing in one game and did not see action in 2019 before transferring to Tulsa. Watkins was a true freshman at Missouri last year and carried the ball six times for 19 yards in his only action.
Players Mentioned
Running Back
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