The dismissal of running back Jovon Robinson left Gus Malzahn and the Auburn offense with none of last season’s top three tailbacks returning to the Plains. A Tiger offense, that has produced a 1,000 yard rusher in each of the last seven seasons, now enters fall camp with many uncertainties surrounding the tailback position.
Robinson, Roc Thomas and Peyton Barber are now faces of the past. Now Kerryon Johnson will be forced to step up as the number one tailback for the Tigers along newcomers Kam Martin and Malik Miller, who will be asked to provide depth immediately. Former H-back Kamyrn Pettway and current H-back Chandler Cox will also be used at the position. The worry of fans and some of those that are close to the football program will not faze running backs coach Tim Horton at the latest loss at running back.
"It's happened to me before," Horton told media during fall camp. "To be honest, that's one of the fun parts of coaching --when you face some speed bumps, whatever they may be, you keep persevering and keep moving forward."
Johnson rushed for 208 yards last season on 52 carries and has all of the tools to be the Tigers next 1,000 yard rusher. The 2015 Alabama Mr. Football award winner recorded 1,659 yards, 25 touchdowns as a senior, and scored a championship record six touchdowns in the 3A state title game.
The rising sophomore showed promise at the end of last season, recording an 8-yard TD run and 37-yard reception in the Birmingham Bowl. While the 2016 offense will rely heavily on Johnson, he will not stand as the lone tailback.
"We're not going to ask Kerryon Johnson to be the only guy to carry the ball," explained Horton.
A combination of Pettway, Martin and Miller will be pivotal in the 2016 Tiger rushing attack. The former H-Back Pettway did not receive a carry last season, but was recruited as a tailback, and a “really good tailback” according to Horton. Miller, an incoming freshman that backed up Johnson in high school has also shown improvement since he arrived at Auburn last spring.
"He has improved significantly," Horton said. "He was a little banged up in the spring. He's trimmed down a little bit. He's a little bit quicker. He's running better. For someone who is a true freshman, he understands the offense as well as anybody on our team. He really has a great football intelligence. He's probably been as good a surprise as any because he's a better player today than when spring practice was over."
While the running back situation in Auburn is not ideal, the coaches and running backs are poised to continue on, and produce Auburn’s eighth consecutive 1,000 yard rusher.
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