Sumler, Nabors standing out
With tailbacks Hugh Charles and Byron Ellis graduating, and highly-touted recruit Darrell Scott arriving on campus in a matter of months, CU’s search for next season’s running backs continues.
Former Buffalo quarterback and current running backs coach Darian Hagan said there is far more competition for the teams two or three running back spots this spring than last spring, when everyone knew those spots belonged to Charles and Ellis.
Hagan said sophomore tailback Demetrius Sumler is standing out amongst a group of five other tailbacks competing for playing time come August.
“Demetrius Sumler is heading in the right direction,” Hagan said. “He is standing out by far from everyone else. He understands it. He’s applying what he has been taught in the classroom to the football field.”
Sumler played in 11 games for the Buffs last season. In those 11 games he carried the ball 100 times for 335 yards and scored four touchdowns, second on the team in all three categories.
Sumler said he feels like the Buff running backs are improving together as a unit in spring practice.
“It’s going well,” Sumler said. “We’re picking up the new offense, the line is looking good, and I think all the backs are improving. We’re all getting better day by day.”
Hagan said behind Sumler, sophomore tailback Cory Nabors is looking a little bit better than the rest of the pack.
“Cory Nabors is a different player than he was last year,” Hagan(cq) said.
As a redshirt freshman, Nabors joined the team last season as a walk-on, and he practiced the whole season with the running backs.
Hagan said the other three running backs, Brian Lockridge, Kevin Moyd and Arthur Jaffee, have been inconsistent throughout spring practice.
Hagan added he is looking for more consistency out of sophomore tailback Lockridge who played in eight games last season, rushing for 213 yards and one touchdown.
“Brian Lockridge should not be inconsistent,” Hagan said. “But he is still young as a football player, this is only his fourth year ever playing football. He is a guy that has to just slow down and not try to do too much.”
Lockridge said he is excited about spring practice, the way the Buffs are improving as a team and trying to compete with the other tailbacks..
“Right now we are just trying to learn and see what fits our team,” Lockridge said. “We are trying everything right now and just trying to move faster.”
CU’s coaches know that whatever decisions they make regarding the tailback position will have to somehow include CU’s top recruit, Darrell Scott, the No. 1 high school running back recruit in the nation.
Hagan said everyone is excited about Scott’s arrival, and the coaches will have to decide how to use him once he arrives at practice.
“He has to get here, and he has to compete,” Hagan said. “Knowing that guy like I know him, he is going to come in here, and he is going to find the road. He won’t be standing on the sideline I can tell you that.”
Contact Campus Press Staff Writer Brad Cochi at Bradley.Cochi@thecampuspress.com.
