Clay Henry: Jimmy Smith’s Running Backs Can Do It All
By Clay Henry
My practice study habits generally center on the question marks. Can the offensive tackles hold up? What about the passing game? How many balls hit the ground? Is there depth in the defensive line? What about the safeties? Are there enough pass rushers?
After going through my usual August camp check list the last two weeks and finding everything I wanted in the 2023 Arkansas football team to hold up in SEC play, I decided Thursday was going to be all about fun.
It was time to watch the assistant coach Jimmy Smith’s running backs. There is nothing better right now in college football.
Oh, there may be a place where there is one or two great ones splitting time in practice or that one great back that makes you drop your jaw.
But nowhere is there a group of five that can beat you in every way. Smith has five awesome running backs at Arkansas.
They are all do-it-all backs that have the ability to hit the hole, get to the boundary, plant and cut, pass protect and catch every pass.
I’ve said for about 30 years that the best athlete in the world is an SEC tailback. I’ll add a qualifier and say a great SEC tailback.
These five are all of that, great SEC tailbacks. They are dripping with greatness that make you want to say wow over and over.
In an interview with offensive coordinator Dan Enos in May there was a discussion about the running backs. He said Raheim “Rocket” Sanders, AJ Green and Rashod Dubinion all can win SEC games.
There was no mention of Dominique Johnson, fighting back from two knee reconstructions or true freshman Isaiah Augustave.
But after watching Johnson and Augustave over the last three weeks – with close attention for two hours Thursday – it’s clear that all five can win SEC games.