Grading the Florida Gators: Running Backs

September 3 is right around the corner, which means Florida football season is in sight. The Gators will soon be taking newly named, Steve Spurrier-Florida Field for the first time.

As we impatiently await the arrival of football season, Gator Country will grade all of Florida’s position groups to get a better idea of where each group stands coming into the 2016 season.

So far we’ve covered the secondary, defensive line, and linebackers. We will make the shift to offense now, starting off with the running backs.

In 2015, Kelvin Taylor accounted for 259 out of 346 carries by Florida Gators running backs. Taylor rushed for 1,035 yards last season, Jordan Scarlett was next up behind him with 181 yards. Now that Taylor is gone to the NFL, the Gators are looking to find a guy, or group of guys, who can replace what he was for the offense.

POSITION GROUP GRADE: B-

This is another group that has the potential to be way ahead of their preseason grade as the season moves along. There are just so many unknowns with very little experience from any player. This group is still battling it out in fall camp as each player is trying to earn a starting role. There is no clear-cut starter yet, and there is still a chance all of them could play by committee, but Jim McElwain is known for picking one guy and rolling with him as he did with Taylor last season.

The Players

Jordan Cronkrite enters this season as one of the two Florida Gators running backs with any experience at all. Cronkrite compiled the second-most carries on the team behind Taylor as a freshman last season, with 44. If anyone had a leg-up in the battle in the spring, it was probably him. He is still high on the list right now, as McElwain has said he has the consistency to be an every-down back for the Gators. At 5-11, 204, Cronkrite is the smallest of Florida’s running backs, but he doesn’t play like it. He gives an all-out effort every time he steps on the field and runs tough between the tackles. Despite his size, his toughness is what sets him apart. Quite possibly his greatest asset is his versatility to be a receiver out of the backfield.

Sophomore Jordan Scarlett averaged 5.3 yards per carry last season in his 34 carries. He showed great promise in the Georgia game, as he rushed for a career high 96 yards. His 96-yard day was made possible by his explosive 60-yard run in the fourth quarter of the game. At this point Scarlett looks to be the only real long-distance threat in the backfield and he could be the difference maker the Gators desperately need. He struggled to gain confidence from the coaches last season with his ball security issues and questionable work ethic. He was cited with marijuana possession in December of 2015 and was suspended for the Citrus Bowl. Scarlett first needs to prove he can be accountable off the field before Florida can rely on him on the field.

JUCO transfer Mark Thompson is another leading candidate to be the Gators’ feature back in 2016. Thompson was the number one junior college tailback in the 2016 class and had the fourth most rushing yards (1,298) in the NJCAA in 2015. He looks the part of an SEC running back in every way, standing at 6-2, 237. He is a bruising back with good speed for his size. Thompson is the type of power running back that McElwain loves. He is an extremely confident player and has already set a goal to reach 1,000 yards by game seven. It is unlikely that will happen, but that is the type of confidence it takes to be a player at this level, and Thompson understands that. His biggest issue since arriving on campus has been putting the ball on the ground too much. If Thompson can get his fumbling problems straightened out and continue playing to his size, he probably won’t be in Gainesville very long and will be headed to the NFL.

Freshman Lamical Perine is a young guy who has a legitimate chance to make an impact this season in the Gators’ running back committee depending on how he continues to develop. Perine is living his dream of being a Florida Gator, after spending his past summers mowing yards to pay for his visits to Gainesville. He is proud to be a part of this team, and he is going to be good. Perine is versatile with great vision and cutback ability, he never seems to get caught from behind. Like Cronkrite, he can also be a receiver out of the backfield. He will have to be patient in the crowded backfield this season, but McElwain and the older running backs are confident he will play some kind of role this season, as they continuously praise him. “This Lamical Perine guy, this guy’s pretty good,” said McElwain earlier this week. McElwain also talked about having to come up with some new formations to get guys like Perine on the field.

Former walk-on and redshirt senior Mark Herndon is the veteran of the group and has taken on a leadership role with the young running backs. He has endured through being a walk-on and earning a scholarship along with a fair share of injuries throughout his career. The coaches speak so highly of Herndon, because he is the ultimate team player. Herndon has accumulated just 11 carries so far in his career as he heads into his final season with the Gators. Though he hasn’t seen much time in the backfield, he is fast, shifty, and tough. He has been a key special teams player in his time at Florida and will continue to be a huge part of special teams this season, as well as bring some versatility in some specialty packages on offense, according to McElwain.

Looking Ahead

Heading into his second season as the Florida Gators running back coach Tim Skipper is looking to have another running back who can pace the offense like Taylor did in 2015. He and McElwain have done an outstanding job of recruiting running backs since they arrived in Gainesville, and now have a group of very talented players who are all fighting it out to be the main guy this season. The running backs are all pushing one another, but as Scarlett said, there is only one ball and everyone can’t touch the ball at one time. It will be interesting to see how this position battle plays out during the rest of fall camp and into the season.

Coming up next, receivers.

Bailiegh Carlton
A lifelong sports fan, Bailiegh Carlton knew from a young age that she wanted to work in sports in some capacity. Before transferring to the University of Florida to study journalism, she played softball at Gulf Coast State College. She then interned for Gator Country for three years as she worked toward her degree. After graduation, Bailiegh decided to explore other opportunities in the world of sports, but all roads led her right back here. In her time away, she and her husband welcomed a beautiful baby girl into the world. When she isn't working, she can almost always be found snuggled up with sweet baby Ridley, Cody and her four fur babies.