Travis Etienne scores during Saturdays Spring Game .
As the Tigers wrap up the 2018 Spring Practices with it’s annual Orang and White game held yesterday in front of up to estimates of 60,000 fans. One of the biggest questions coming into the season as well as an intriguing story line throughout the spring has been the running back competition.
With former 5 star Tavien Feaster, last years new comer Travis Etienne and veteran Adam Choice all vying for the top spot on the RB depth chart. Co-offensive co-ordinator Tony Elliot has his hands full as he decides over the summer and into the fall who is the #1 running back on the roster.
If yesterday’s Spring game is any way to gauge his decision. The three aforementioned players only made it that much more difficult on him. With all three getting reps in the game and having a great day individually as much as you can with split squads with limited play calls. Etienne once again showed the burst and electricity he is known for after last years break out season. While the two veterans looked just fine in their roles on Saturday with nice burst and runs all day.
It’s not going to be an easy decision for this staff come fall. But if last season was to serve as any indicator, the staff would have no issue in starting either of the three, and all three will see significant playing time in the upcoming year.
It’s situationally that things need to be shored up as last year it was easy to tell what the Tigers were about to run with the personnel they used at times. The “Pass protection” issue that can arise when young players like Etienne are in there can be detrimental to a game plan. And at times last season handcuffed the offense. (See the Alabama game)
With Etienne expressing to us in an interview earlier in the week that an emphasis is being placed on the weight room and in particular upper body development and adding weight and strength there as to help in Pass pro in particular. On the other hand Feaster who was up to 220 lbs last season has decided with the strength and conditioning coaches plans to drop 10-12 lbs and regain his burst at the line of scrimmage that he felt he lost over the course of last year.
Stay tuned as this will be an interesting story line to follow along here as the Tigers prepare for the 2018 Season.
