At the top of the list is surprise 2012 1,000 yard back Zach Zwinak.  After that one guy transferred out west, and the presumed starter went down with an injury less than 3 quarters into the season, there was a huge question mark at running back.  Zwinak emerged from the chaos to claim the starting spot, and would not relinquish it the rest of the year.  O’Brien has said he enters the season as the top guy, and with good reason.  The straight ahead, power style Zwinak uses seemed to be the formula that clicked with the Mac McWhorter’s offensive line.  If there is one area for concern, it would be ball security, as Zwinak put the ball on the ground 5 times in 2012.

The presumed starter was of course Bill Belton, who emerged late in 2011 as a wildcat quarterback option, and was named the #1 guy after that one transfer.  That lasted until the third quarter of the Ohio game, when he picked up a high ankle sprain that very obviously slowed him down the rest of the year.  Reports out of the program this spring say Bill is healthy, and has shed a few pounds in an effort to regain some of that quickness that made him such a dynamic player as a freshman.  I actually think Belton is better suited to be a change of pace guy to Zwinak.  He’s best when he uses his speed to get to the corner, and makes guys miss, not a guy that’s going to run between the tackles 15 times a game.

The wildcard is the redshirt freshman, and another of my personal favorites, Akeel Lynch.  Part of that is the fact he chose Penn State over Iowa…twice, but most of it is his potential to be a very very good back.  I was actually told by a current player last year that Lynch could be the best all around athlete on the team.  It will be interesting to see how O’Brien works him into the rotation come this fall, but I expect him to see quite a bit of action on Saturday.

With a first time starter at quarterback, whoever it is, and what could be a very strong offensive line group, I expect PSU to rely much more on the run this year than they did last.  Normally, 3 guys at tailback is a crowd, but I don’t think it’s much of a stretch to think PSU could run the ball 30-35 times a game, especially early, which will certainly require all three of these guys to do their part.

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ZACH ZWINAK

OK, show of hands, who had Zach Zwinak pegged for 1,000 yards last season?  Yeah, me too.  Zach of course emerged in PSU’s 4th game of the 2012 campaign against Temple, carrying 18 times for 94 yards.  That performance would cement his spot, carrying the ball at least 16 times in 8 of the final 9 games.  His straight ahead, powerful running style meshed well with the PSU offensive line that had struggled to open holes consistently leading up to the Temple game.  Zwinak even displayed some impressive speed in the open field, highlighted by his 50 yard TD run early on at Nebraska.  If there was a weankess for Zach, it was ball security, losing 4 fumbles on 203 carries.

BILL BELTON

Mr. Belton of course entered the 2012 season as the first string tailback, but that went sideways just 13 carries into the season, when he suffered a high ankle sprain that knocked him out of the next 3 games, and quite honestly, seemed to effect him the rest of the season.  The highlight of a season that only gave Belton 60 carries was his 103 yard, 3 touchdown effort in a rather enjoyable 38-14 win in Iowa City.  Aside from the injury, Belton suffered from fumbling issues of his own, plus a shot across the bow from Bill O’Brien questioning his practice habits.

AKEEL LYNCH

It was no secret that I was really high on Akeel before last season, expecting him to make an immediate impact on the PSU offense.  I was told back then by a teammate that Lynch might be the best all around athlete on the team.  Given some of the competition, that was quite the compliment.  Instead of making me look like a genius, Lynch was redshirted as Zwinak solidified the revolving door in the backfield.  Going into 2013, Lynch is still a guy that I’m extremely high on, and that’s only partially because he turned down Iowa….twice.

Sep 1, 2012; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions running back Bill Belton (1) runs the ball for a touchdown in the first quarter against the Ohio Bobcats at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-US Presswire

How does this all play out?  I’m glad you asked.  Obviously it is foolish to think anyone other than Zwinak is the starter against Syracuse in August, barring injury.  But after that, there are a lot of questions.  PSU’s primary backup last season was now graduated Michael Zordich, so all those carries have to go somewhere.

It would be foolish to write off Belton at this point.  There is a reason he was #1 going into the season, but there’s also a reason he lost that spot.  I will insist as long as anyone listens (and probably for awhile after) that his high ankle sprain was a factor throughout the season.  That injury truly needs rest to fully heal, and I’m not sure it did.  He never again showed the quickness and cutting we saw early on vs. Ohio, even in the impressive performance against Iowa.  If healthy, and if he has committed himself on the practice field, he will be an interesting story to watch, and a guy that I would expect to see a lot of the ball.  Remember he started at WR for PSU, and could provide an interesting option in the slot, or on 3rd down out of the backfield.

The wildcard is the redshirt freshman Lynch.  He has the power to run between the tackles, but the speed to break one to the outside.  I expect Belton to become more of an all purpose type of player, getting involved in a handful of ways, not just as a tailback.  That puts Lynch in prime position to become the #2 behind Zwinak.

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Nov 17, 2012; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions running back Michael Zordich (9) warms up prior to the game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

In a preseason riddled with questions all over the field, the runningbacks were near the top of almost every list.  What was once viewed as the strength of the offense immediately became another huge void when Silas Redd left for USC.  Bill O’Brien didn’t miss a beat, immediately proclaiming sophomore Bill Belton the new starter.

Belton was off to a solid start in the season opener against Ohio, before suffering a high ankle sprain that would sideline him until the Illinois game.  Derek Day would take over against the Bobcats.  The Lions would muster just 94 yards on the ground that day.  The following week against Virginia, it was Derek Day who got the start, and Curtis Dukes backing him up.  121 yards on 42 carries was the ending line.  The revolving door in the offensive backfield kept spinning against Navy with senior fullback Mike Zordich starting and Dukes again getting 2nd string carries.  It was not until the Temple game that sophomore Zach Zwinak, who would of course end up rushing for exactly 1,000 yards, drew significant carries (18 for 94 yards), although Zordich actually drew the start that day.

It was that Temple game that finally brought some stability to the position, not only in terms of the personnel, but in the type of rushing attack Penn State would have the remainder of the season.  For all his athletic ability, no one ever expected Bill Belton to be a guy that would pound it between the tackles and put his shoulder down.  Belton is at his best in space, and on the edge, as we saw in the Iowa game. Zwinak’s straight ahead style immediately clicked with the offensive line, and Zordich became the guy O’Brien turned to when Zwinah needed a breather.

For all the impressive stats put up by Zwinak once he became the starter, ball security remained an issue, highlighted by a crucial lost fumble as Penn State was driving for a score in Lincoln.  Zwinak was also never a real threat as a receiver out of the backfield, especially when compared to Belton.  Watching O’Brien’s offenses in New England, he loves to get the ball to his backs through the air, either directly out of the backfield, or motioning them out.  As we mentioned with the offensive line last week, the Lions offense struggled with the blitz, especially in the Ohio State loss.  None of the backs were consistently reliable in buying McGloin time when the defense brought the extra pressure.

Aug 6, 2012; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions running back Bill Belton (1) runs up field during practice at the Lasch Football Building practice fields. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Looking ahead to the 2013 season, Zordich and Day’s graduation are the only known losses, although it is widely expected that junior Curtis Dukes will move on as well.  Zwinak and Belton are both expected to return, as will freshman Akeel Lynch, who redshirted this year.  It is hard to imagine Zwinak not being the starter going into the season, but expect Lynch to get a long look as well.  Belton presents an interesting question, as he is arguably the most athletic player on the Lions’ offense, but never really settled in at runningback.  The ankle injury certainly played a part, as high ankle sprains are notorious for lingering, but with Zwinak’s emergence, and Lynch’s ability, it’s hard to figure out where the carries will come from.  With that said, a new starter at quarterback will mean a heavier reliance on the running game.  I expect Zwinak and Lynch to get the bulk of the carries, but Belton to become a threat at receiver, and even a 3rd down back in passing situations.

As for the grade, because of the ball security, and blitz issues, it’s again hard to give out an A.  But a position that looked like a borderline passing grade after the first three weeks became much more reliable as the year went on, and the future looks promising as well.  For that, give the backs a B.

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Senior fullback Michael Zordich made it clear early in the process that he wasn’t going anywhere. Then again, I don’t think anybody ever thought otherwise.

It didn’t take sophomore RB Bill Belton long at all to declare his loyalty, tweeting on July 4th:

On Sept.1 Allen Robinson and I will be playing in Blue & White vs Ohio U.

— Bill Belton (@therealbill_1) July 24, 2012

Belton returns from a freshman campaign that saw him start at wide receiver, then take some snaps as the “wildcat QB” late in the season. He finished the year with 13 carries for 65 yards. He was moved to running  back during spring practice and looked solid at the position during the Blue-White game in April.

At the time of Redd’s departure, Belton and Zordich were the only two confirmed backfield players who were returning and Penn Staters got nervous. Shortly after, things fell into place.

Incoming freshman Akeel Lynch strongly considered a transfer to Iowa and many thought he was on his way out. That ended up not being the case. Lynch declared, via Twitter that he would be remaining with Penn State.

I will be wearing #22 in Blue&White jersey come Sept. 1st #WeStillAre #PennState #Sorryforthewait

— Akeel Lynch (@ALynch_22) August 4, 2012

It’s quite possible that Silas leaving actually helped Lynch decide to stay. The loss of Redd gives the other offensive skill position players around 25 touches per game that are now up for grabs.

Lynch may have  been the most critical member to re-commit as he will be at Penn State through the duration of the sanctioned years. A player of his caliber will help endure the times to come. Having said that, the returning players at this point severely lacked experience.

That was until Curtis Dukes, now the team’s leading returning rusher, announced he would be returning to Penn State. Let’s be honest, it sounded like Dukes had some real interest in Syracuse, and it may not have been reciprocated. That could have been due to his academic issues in the spring, or from a number of other things. Truth is, Penn State fans don’t care why Dukes is back, only that he will be on the sideline this fall. In 011, Dukes rushed 41 times for 237 yards.

Finally, fullback Zach Zwinak announced to the Fredrick News Post that he would be coming back to Penn State. Zach came to Penn State as one of the top fullbacks in the country. He is a diverse player, though, and may earn some short-yardage carries. He is faster than Michael Zordich and more of a natural ball carrier.

The loss of Silas Redd shouldn’t be understated, but there is still some diverse talent in the Penn State backfield and will continue to be for years to come.

For all of the latest on the Penn State Nittany Lions, follow VBR Lead Editor Tim Tolley on Twitter.

RB2
Curtis Dukes (RS Jr.)

RB3
Akeel Lynch (Fr.)*

Others
Derek Day (RS Sr.)
Deron Thompson (RS Fr.)
Jack Haffner (Fr.)*

FB1
Mike Zordich (RS Sr.)

FB2
Zach Zwinak (RS So.)

Silas has proven himself over the past two seasons and is one of the best backs in the conference, if not the country. Last year, carrying the load took a toll on Redd and he missed some time late in the season. If he can stay healthy this season, he should easily have his 2nd straight 1,000 yard season.

Curtis Dukes showed glimpses last year of what he can do with the ball. He certainly looks the part, running strong between the tackles with speed and power. His problem is with everything else. He seems lost at times and is a poor pass protector. If he can figure out the parts of being a running back that don’t involve having the ball, he will solidify himself behind Redd as the backup.

Akeel Lynch is a multi-talented player who rushed for over 2,000 yards and 25 TDs in his senior season of high school. I fully expect him to see the field early, with no chance of redshirting. If Dukes slips up mentally, Lynch could become a factor by the time Big Ten play begins.

I also wouldn’t be surprised to see Jack Haffner sneak some short-yardage snaps. He is a bowling ball RB and has strength that the other running backs don’t possess.

Mike Zordich is a mean fullback who loves hitting people. He was featured on several 1 yard dive plays and as a lead blocker. He also plays on kick/punt coverage. It is unknown what his role will be in the new offense. He isn’t extremely dangerous with the ball, so it’s unlikely that he will be used in an H-back situation. It is quite possible that Zordich could become primarily a special teams player.

Zach Zwinak is a wild card. He was one of the top fullbacks in the country coming out of high school but spent a year adding weight, then suffered a knee injury. He got some carries last year while playing in the running back role, but was technically the 3rd string FB. He carried the ball plenty of times in high school and has excellent speed for a fullback. Without any elite TE threats on the field, it’s possible that ZZ could be used in some type of hybrid FB/TE role. He could also end up battling Dukes and Lynch for carries behind Redd. I definitely recommend keeping an eye on Zach. We could learn a little bit as early as the Spring game, as far as how O’Brien plans on using Zach.

Make sure to check out our QB and WR depth charts from last week, and our O-Line/TE depth chart tomorrow!

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One would think that when a university sees its all-time leading rusher graduate, there would be a drop off in the rushing offense the next year. While it cannot be understated how awesome Evan Royster was in his Penn State career, we still don’t know if PSU’s ground game will improve or regress in 2011. That’s because Silas Redd is such an incredible talent.

As a highly touted freshman in 2010, Redd didn’t see double digit touches until Penn State hosted Northwestern on November 6. In that game, Redd cut through the Wildcat defense like a hot knife through whatever is softer than butter. 131 yards on just 11 carries is a stat line usually reserved for Bo Jackson in Tecmo Bowl, but that’s what Redd did on that day to carry PSU to a 35-21 victory.

Redd ended the 2010 season with 437 yards rushing and a 5.7 yards per rush average. His role in 2011 was to lead the Penn State rushing attack with help from senior halfback Stephfon Green. However, it just became known yesterday that Green will likely sit out the 2011 season and so Redd has an even bigger share of the team to carry.
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