Vandal Football Preview - Running Backs

BREAKDOWN

The University of Idaho running backs room returns its leading rusher Anthony Woods, and veteran Nick Romano, but the Vandals will have shoes to fill in 2023 with the graduation of Roshaun Johnson who scored a team-high 12 TDs and Elisha Cumming who will redshirt this year. 

To fill the gap, a pair of freshmen, Carlos Matheney and Art Williams look to be earning playing time while graduate transfer George Robinson brings much needed size to the group for short yardage situations. 

The biggest growth this year will come on the mental side of the game. Another year in the offense and improvement upfront on the offensive line will play dividend for the Vandals. 

“It's really going to start with being mentally focused,” running backs coach Thomas Ford said. “I've really challenged our group to not only understand what we're doing as an offensive group, but also what the defense is doing. We're doing a lot more high-level meeting right now than we were a year ago. I really think if our guys can really dial in to the mental part of the game, that's going to be a huge factor.”

KEY RETURNERS

The stats don’t lie, and the Big Sky voters obviously saw something they liked in sophomore Anthony Woods. His 872 net yards and three touchdowns earned him Second-Team All-Big Sky honors as a true freshman, and he earned Preseason All-Big Sky honors before this season. His work this offseason to gain weight and improve his technique is obvious during fall camp. 

“It starts at the top with number five,” Ford said. “Obviously, Anthony was a standout freshman for us last year. He was a really explosive runner last year, but what you really love about Anthony is how much he's improved his overall game. Last year was kind of a liability in pass protection. This year he is really a stalwart in there, really doing a good job, not only physically, but understanding the mental part of it.”

Last year, Woods caught just six passes for nine total yards, but Idaho is looking to use him more in the pass game this season. 

“The other part of his game he's really improved is catching the football,” Ford said. “He's going to be a dynamic threat all around this season.”

Romano, a fifth-year senior, rushed just five times for 45 yards last year while dealing with injuries, but he is now healthy and is showing the skillset that made him a HERO Sports Freshman All-American in 2019 when he rushed for 498 yards. 

“Nick is one of those guys that could have easily hung em’ up,” Ford said. “He was kind of the number five guy most of the year after playing a ton as a young guy. So, I'm really proud of him sticking around. He's improved his speed and his quickness. He's obviously been one of the strongest skill position players in our program for a long time. We're really excited about his change of direction in his burst. Really one of the fastest guys on our team over the summer.”

Cummings was second on the team with 422 yards rushing last year but will redshirt this season. 

Redshirt freshman Hayden Kincheloe will look to contribute in the run game and on special teams. 

TRANSFER

With the loss of Johnson to graduation, Idaho needed a power back to counter the speed of Woods and Romano and they found it in Northern Arizona transfer George Robinson. He was the second-leading rusher for the Lumberjacks in 2022 and has five touchdowns in his career. 

“He's going to be a big, physical back,” Ford said. “He really can provide some help for us on short yardage goal line situations.”

INCOMING FRESHMEN

Three backs come into the Vandal fold this fall in Matheney, Williams and Deshaun Buchanen. Like Cummings, Buchanen is expected to redshirt this season. Matheney has risen on the depth chart so far in camp and looks to be an impact player for Idaho in 2023. 

“The other guy that I think really to watch out for this year is Carlos Matheny,” Ford said. “Carlos really is a guy that has great hips, great wiggle, really good feet and quickness. You know, he's really caught on to the offense really well this this summer and has made a few nice plays over the first course fall camp.”

Williams had an injury earlier in camp, but if recovery stays on schedule, the freshman could make his way onto the field for the Vandals. 

“What really stood out to me about Art this summer has been his physicality,” Ford said. “You know, Art is kind of unassuming. You don't realize he's almost 205 pounds and he looked really good early in our pass protection stuff. He could be another guy that could see the field this year as well as a true freshman. He's really a very versatile player, catches the ball well out of the backfield, has good quickness, good vision.”