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Broncos running backs know winning starting job means big payoff

By Jeff Legwold, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published June 13, 2008 at 3:47 p.m.

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Broncos writer Jeff Legwold on the running back by committee.

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Click to enlarge: The Broncos have finished among the league’s top 10 teams in rushing 12 times in Mike Shanahan’s 13 previous seasons as head coach, with seven different running backs having led the team in rushing in a season during that span.

Click to enlarge: The Broncos have finished among the league’s top 10 teams in rushing 12 times in Mike Shanahan’s 13 previous seasons as head coach, with seven different running backs having led the team in rushing in a season during that span.

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For some who have seen it unfold for more than a decade, it is professional football's Powerball, a shot at fame and fortune.

The thing is, though, you have to be in it to win it.

And everyone with a chance to carry the ball in the Broncos offense might know the deal, yet none of the crowd of backs on the roster can hazard a guess right now as to who will end up with the winning ticket.

"I've been in this league for 11 years - I've seen it happen," said Broncos running back Michael Pittman, in his second month with the team. "You see what all of the backs who have been here have done, that maybe you didn't know them before they were in it, or after, but when they were here, everybody knew what they did.

"You get a chance to come here and, I mean, this is like a running back's dream. Of course I want it to be me, it's why I came here."

The Broncos running game, a rather substantial chunk of the offensive playbook that has powered the team to finish in the league's top five in yards rushing per game in nine of Mike Shanahan's 13 seasons as head coach - and 12 times in the top 10 during that span - is one of the few givens in the NFL.

Even in a profession where faint praise of others often is tossed around like a pile of anvils, the Broncos rushing attack has elevated itself. Houston Texans coach and former longtime Broncos assistant coach Gary Kubiak, who is now trying to replicate it in his own offense, has said simply, "I think you just have to say they're going to run the ball no matter who is back there. They've proven it over the long haul."

Yet, this time, as they closed out their last full team practices this past week until they report to training camp, the Broncos, without any more roster moves, will convene for two-a- days in July with a collection of backs who have the grand total of zero 1,000-yard rushing seasons in their professional careers.

Pittman rushed for 926 yards with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2004, but that injury- riddled team finished 5-11. Selvin Young and Andre Hall, two players often referred to as situational backs by Shanahan, finished with 729 and 216 yards rushing, respectively, for the Broncos in 2007 - it was their rookie seasons - and the team's remaining experienced backs, Cecil Sapp and Mike Bell, both play fullback.

Ryan Torain, a 222-pound rookie the Broncos targeted on the second day of the draft for fitting their potential profile, could also push his way into the mix.

"We'll do what we need to do to be effective," Shanahan said. "If that's one guy, it's one guy; if it's more than one guy, it's more than one guy. I always say it - not everybody believes it - but it will sort itself out."

Pittman, who will turn 34 in August, has the inside power Shanahan covets, but Young, a decade younger, has flashed the big-play ability that also catches the coach's eye. Young had five of the team's eight rushes of 30 yards or more in '07. The two likely will begin training camp as the leading candidates for the top job.

It's a job that certainly has come with a caveat. Four straight years, beginning with Clinton Portis after the 2003 season, the team either traded or released the team's leading rusher from the previous year. Then Travis Henry, the team's second-leading rusher in 2007, was released.

Henry was the Broncos' primary back during the first month of the season until injuries forced him out of the lineup, and he eventually finished second on the team in rushing, behind Young.

A lot to overcome

Young has been a regular in the team's offseason program, has upped his weight from 207 to 211 pounds and desperately wants to shake the label of part-time player that Shanahan repeatedly pasted to his performances last season. That was when Young visibly wore down and battled a sore knee down the stretch.

Young also battled injuries in his career at Texas, having 11 screws placed in his fractured right ankle in '04 and never having carried the ball more than 137 times in any of his seasons for the Longhorns.

"I went in (last year) and showed flashes of it," Young said. "But it's up to me to show I can do it all the time, go out and prove to him I can be productive in that sense. It's up to me to stay healthy and do the things off the field to combat his idea."

Shanahan said this past week that Young's commitment in the weight room this offseason has swayed him some, but that the proof will come in training camp and when the games begin.

"I do think Selvin has the ability to carry the ball more - he's made a concerted effort in the offseason to get in better shape, stronger," Shanahan said.

Hall awaits call

Hall, a 5-foot-10, 212-pounder, is undersized, but with rookie Eddie Royal expected to have kickoff-return duties, Hall, a kick returner last season, might be cleared to get a longer look for time at running back. With Young and Henry hurting last season, Hall had back-to-back games of 89 and 98 yards rushing in November that included the team's longest run from scrimmage in 2007 - a 62-yard touchdown run against the Titans.

"I want to be in there," Hall said. "We all do."

Pittman's take: "I know I'm the older guy and that we've got a lot of young, hungry guys. But I've never had any big-time injuries. I don't smoke, I eat healthy, I don't drink alcohol. I just do the things that keep you on the field. And I know for a fact here - just look at who has been the guy here, guys like

Reuben Droughns and Mike Anderson - they don't play favoritism, they are going to play the best guy no matter what he's done in the past. I want to be the best guy."

The coveted running lanes, the desired yards per carry, the opportunity at some prime- time highlights await.

"Like I've said, it just doesn't matter to me if it's one or more," Shanahan said. "We want to be up around 5 yards a carry, that puts you near the top in the National Football League. We'll do what we need to do to try and get there. So we'll see what that means."

ETC.: After completing their on-field, full-team workouts of the offseason spread over the past four weeks, the Broncos waived six players Friday: linebacker Brandon Archer, punter Danny Baugher, quarterback Cullen Finnerty, wide receiver Taylor Jacobs, defensive end Julian Jenkins and safety Vickiel Vaughn.

Jacobs spent the past two months of the '07 season on the Broncos roster, having played in six games, finishing without a catch.

* The Broncos roster is now at 82 players - linebacker Manuel Padilla, as part of the league's international practice squad program, was signed Friday but doesn't count toward the official roster total.

By league rules, the Broncos roster must be at 80 players when they take the field for training camp on July 25.

Comments

  • June 13, 2008

    7:38 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Broncomaniac19 writes:

    Andre Hall or Torrain will be the guys in the 2nd half of the year, you heard it here first...

  • June 13, 2008

    7:58 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    aragornzxl writes:

    I dont think releasing Henry is a good move, because you have a guy that was leading the NFL in rushing 4 weeks into the season, then because of injuries, cant get a 1000 yeard season. Still, I think with the rb talent that the Broncos have currently, releasing Henry is a bad move. They need all the help they can get, and lets be honest, they dont have a good rb lineup right now. Who are you kidding, Young? Max 15 carries. Pittman?? Nah....

  • June 13, 2008

    8:58 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    6_is_the_new_7 writes:

    Young will start! Pittman will come on in on 3rd and short. If Young gets hurt Torain will start. They are much better off cutting Henry and all his distractions. Broncos will for sure be back in top 10, probably top 5 in rushing. Hall may not make the team.

  • June 13, 2008

    10:16 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    tmcd writes:

    Travis Henry was not only baggage, he was no longer the best RB on this squad. Like the Shanahan says, it will sort itself out.

  • June 14, 2008

    2:48 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    phillib writes:

    Where ya been aragornzxl? We do it every season. Take someone nobody else knows or gave a chance and turn him into 1000 yard rusher. When Travis decided not to show up for mini camp he got cut. Hey, if I don't show up for my job, I get "cut" too. I was really happy when we first signed Henry. I thought sure he was going to be a stud for us. It didn't work out that way so we move on. He'll land somewhere with a better contract than he had for this season anyway and he'll be happy and he'll probably start and, if he stays healthy, will probably break 1000 yards. Between Shanahan and Bobby Turner, they'll find a way to keep us in the top 5 or 10 in rushing. I kind of like trying to guess just how they're going to do it each season. He'll be fine and we'll be fine.

  • June 14, 2008

    6:10 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    R8R_H8R writes:

    The strength of the team is the running game. The weakness is not being able to have any consistancy with who's back there. Each year the linemen talk about how different it is with a different back. The team has talked about transitioning it's style of linemen away from the lean, light, quicker guys, to the more standard, bigger O-Linemen who are better able to create a pocket and pass-protect better. Because of that, it's more important than ever to find one talented running back and, for once, stick with the same guy for multiple years. At 222 pounds, Torain seems to be the only one that isn't too light to take a pounding all year.

  • June 14, 2008

    8:48 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    barryvictor writes:

    The strength of the running game has been consistent line play to open up that first yard or two for the back to make his up field cut...the rest of the yardage comes from the back's ability to side step and jig his way to the five yard gain zone, the rest is talent and pure power through tackles...depending upon the running style, its zig and zap or boom and pop....so, during this conversation, let's include who's up front making this running game possible in the first place...and from what I have read thus far, Ryan Clady could be the real deal in his rookie season...wouldn't that be nice for holes on the left side and protection on the blind side for Cutler!

  • June 14, 2008

    8:55 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Vector049 writes:

    who cares?

  • June 14, 2008

    12:46 p.m.

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    BigRedCelt writes:

    I'm pretty excited about this group of backs. We know young can play...he did last year..he's bigger and stronger this year. The thing is there is no pressure to be "the guy" with Pitman, Torain, they can all find their nitch. The running game will be productive and I think it can get back to where it controls games. Plus, to this point, it seems they have players that want to play and not "have" to play because their getting paid. Different attitude

    I also agree with kooiman..Hall won't make he team unless there is an injury.

  • June 15, 2008

    7:29 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    dano writes:

    F Shanahan, F Bowlen.

  • June 15, 2008

    8:39 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    T1anda writes:

    You are so right Barryvictor! Look at Minnesotas O-line and at one particular name....Steve Hutchinson! Adrian Peterson is definately going to tear other teams up. When Peterson missed a few games in '07 look what Chester Taylor did in his absence! Shaun Alexander was devastated when "Hutch" went to Minnesota!!

  • June 15, 2008

    9:10 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    HBBeough writes:

    I'm a big Selvin Young guy. He has the instinct to find a new route when there's nothing there instead of diving into a pile of bodies like some other runners do every play. If Young can start all 16 games he will make a run at 2000. I just hope he can stay healthy and maybe working with an NFL training team can help him there.

    and dano, is that all you can come up with? F this F that. Why post anything? Why read the sports page if that is where your mind ends up?

  • June 16, 2008

    12:04 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    aragornzxl writes:

    Philib,
    THATS exactly my point. Every year the Broncos grab some guy, and put them behind the QB. After the Tenure of Portis, there was Anderson, Bell, now Travis Henry. True, I dont like Henry's attitute more than the next guy, but i feel that if your gonna release a guy like Henry, you got to be ready to find a good replace. Thats the same thing with Elam. You let an unhappy guy walk, fine, but be ready to find a good replacement. From what I've seen, they have not done it. Its hard not to critize the Broncos when they are having four RBs in the mix, two in the second year, one a rookie and another who is an average rb at best. I have stuck with the Broncos for a long time, and I will still stick with them, but I feel that if Travis is gone, and Young is still developping (hes gonna turn into a great rb someday, just not this season, as Shanahan said, hes a "15 carry per game" rb.) THe Broncos should have pursued some other Rb, maybe someone with 5 or six years of experience. I think there is still a good load of RBs left. Lets wait and see.

  • June 16, 2008

    8:24 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    sixshooter writes:

    It's not consistent line play as much as it's consistent line scheme. Look at who finished the season as the starting lineman for the Broncos and they still finished ninth in the league. Just think if they had some consistency on the line. If some of the guys like Clady, Lichensteiger, Kuper, Gandy and Polumbus are able to stick with the team, they may just get that consistency and if you combine that with a decent running back or two and it will be very realistic to expect 2000+ yard seasons again for the team.

  • June 16, 2008

    11:22 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    DeimosJB writes:

    aragorn, given Shanny's history at the run game, you might want to give him the benefit of the doubt that he's already "found the guy", rather than going on a rant (2 rants, actually) that he shouldn't have released Henry without a plan. Just because the season hasn't started yet, and none of us really know who the starter will be, doesn't mean the right replacement for Henry isn't already on the roster. Shanahan's running game has been in the top-10 in the league for about 500 years now, so if Shanahan released Henry, past experience ought to give you a fair degree of comfort that Shanahan has somebody or some bodies in mind that are going to do just fine.

  • June 16, 2008

    7:18 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    HBBeough writes:

    Cutting Travis Henry is not like cutting Eric Dickerson. The guy had good stats when he wasn't hurt but he was always hurt. It's not like he carried this team on his back last year. You have to contribute in more than four games a season to stay around and be reliable. If he was all that, why hasn't anyone signed him?

  • June 17, 2008

    6:37 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    AKRNA writes:

    Guys,

    Everyone including the writer of this article mentions that Young and Hall are too small. Anyone remember a fella called TD?

    Name Height Weight
    Terrel Davis 5'11" 210
    Selvin Young 5'11" 211
    Andre Hall 5'10" 212

    Also, both Young and Hall appear to be quicker and both are measurably faster. Don't misunderstand me, I'm not comparing either back to TD who was the perfect back for this system. It just seems to me that Mike has found two clones hoping that one or both will pan out. They're not tall, but there's nothing small about a 5' 10" man in excellent shape that weighs 210+!