Let's start with Rennie Childs. He is a known commodity and has the potential to be a solid Big 12 back. As mentioned above, he has done everything within his power in the past several months to improve himself and his game, and it has shown up on the field. He has shown more confidence in exploding through creases and greater physicality when he has gotten into the second level. There have been some really good collisions down the field, where he has gotten the better end of the encounter. In the spring game, the added speed was on display as he showed the ability to get loose for the big play (something OSU struggled with the past two seasons). There is no question that Rennie will play and be a significant contributor to the overall success of the offense, but he will not be the sole cog at the position. This backfield needs at least 2 to 3 guys to work.
Enter Chris Carson. He was an absolutely essential 'get' in recruiting this past year, particularly with the late de-commitment of Ronald Jones. The Cowboys were in desperate need for someone to come in immediately and at the very least platoon with Rennie Childs at the running back position. Chris Carson was one of the top two options available and the Cowboys were able to flip him from Georgia. Both he and the school should be very grateful that he changed his home. He will be a major impact player. He was rightly chosen as Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year. He probably is the best physically 'put together' back that Oklahoma State has had in a very long time. He has the skill set to be an every down player. He has good vision, quick feet, and the ability to explode off a cut. He has some 'make you miss' ability, but what is most interesting is that he uses it best in traffic! This is a back that will get up the field quickly and attack the middle of the defense. He has enough power and burst to pose a significant breakaway threat between the tackles. (Some call it running north-south, but in Boone Pickens stadium, we refrain from using directional statements.)
Chris Carson's running style is a bit more erect than you would want for a guy that runs inside as it gives the defense a bigger target area to hit, so he is going to have to learn to better run behind his pads. He has the power to finish through contact, so expect him to win his fair share of collisions. The thing that he brings to the table at the position is the ability to find daylight in tight spaces and cut quickly off of his blockers into those openings. He will get an extra couple of yards on interior running plays that most guys will miss.
People are always asking me for a comparison, and frankly there isn't a recent OSU back that comes to mind and only a handful of guys from the Big 12, and even those seem pretty flawed. The reality is that running backs have been trending away from the taller upright striders to guys that are more compact or jumbo backs. Chris Carson is kind of a throw-back in the sense that he is an upright strider with long legs on the plus side of 6 feet tall. Most comparisons are going to be a bit of a reach, so let me give you one that will require some limits. If you set aside the fact that he doesn't have the same developed route running skills, his stature and running style remind me of Ricky Watters. Obviously Watters was one of the best pass catching backs of his generation, so the comparison doesn't extend to the passing game, but if you look solely at running style (particularly between the tackles), there are similarities. {Side note: I still don't know why a back with 10,000 yards rushing and receiving along with Super Bowls is not in the NFL Hall of Fame, but that is a discussion for another day.} He reminds me of the type of guy that Osborne would try to recruit for the I-back position at Nebraska. Expect him to make an immediate impact and be a guy that touches the ball upwards of 20 times a game.
So far, you have Carson and Childs as a quality backfield tandem. Both are capable chain movers and play with a high degree of physicality. The missing element to the running attack is the quick jitterbug back that can come in and offer a true change of pace. That is where Todd Mays and Jeff Carr come into play. Both of them are difficult to get squared up in one on one tackling situations. Todd Mays has shown signs of being a player, but the spring time injury kept him from really jumping into the flow of the offense right away. He is still adjusting to the position switch, and if health at the position allowed a redshirt year, it might benefit him and help stagger the depth by class. The talk (and arguably the star) of the summer camp has been freshman Jeff Carr who was slighted in recruiting due primarily to his build. He put up tremendous numbers in high school (almost 2200 yards and 9.5 yards per carry as a senior), and was a highlight machine. He has elite change of direction ability with high end straight-line speed. He is the epitomy of an open space player, the type of guy that you absolutely want to isolate against linebackers and safeties in space, and the look of an elite kick returner.
I have heard comparisons thrown around with him, particularly with Kendall Hunter, but I don't see that from a skill set or style standpoint other than the fact he brings the 'make you miss' element and home run threat to the offense. During recruiting, a coaching friend of mine compared him to Jacquizz Rodgers, but after seeing Jeff Carr in person, I don't think that holds either. Rodgers had a much more compact, physical build, and ran with power. Carr has a more slight build and is much lighter on his feet. He has such quick change of direction that he leaves defenders grasping at nothing when they are close enough to touch him. (This provides a lot of 'did you see that' to his game.) The best comparison that comes to mind is Dante Hall (former Texas A&M running back and Kansas City all purpose threat), and that is a playing career arc that is plausible for him as he develops physically. I would anticipate him playing both on offense and in the return game.
There is a really good mix of skills when you combine this backfield, much better than a year ago. No one in this group has the straight line speed of Tyreek Hill, but all of the backs have more speed and big play ability than Desmond Roland. The prospect of being able to get yards that were not blocked is there with this group. Runs don't have to be bounced outside. Rennie Childs can run through poor tackling and has enough speed to breakaway. Chris Carson can set up blocks and runs to daylight, able to make guys miss in the second level. Jeff Carr can provide the pop with big plays in the open field. The Cowboys are in good shape at running back.
Enter Chris Carson. He was an absolutely essential 'get' in recruiting this past year, particularly with the late de-commitment of Ronald Jones. The Cowboys were in desperate need for someone to come in immediately and at the very least platoon with Rennie Childs at the running back position. Chris Carson was one of the top two options available and the Cowboys were able to flip him from Georgia. Both he and the school should be very grateful that he changed his home. He will be a major impact player. He was rightly chosen as Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year. He probably is the best physically 'put together' back that Oklahoma State has had in a very long time. He has the skill set to be an every down player. He has good vision, quick feet, and the ability to explode off a cut. He has some 'make you miss' ability, but what is most interesting is that he uses it best in traffic! This is a back that will get up the field quickly and attack the middle of the defense. He has enough power and burst to pose a significant breakaway threat between the tackles. (Some call it running north-south, but in Boone Pickens stadium, we refrain from using directional statements.)
Chris Carson's running style is a bit more erect than you would want for a guy that runs inside as it gives the defense a bigger target area to hit, so he is going to have to learn to better run behind his pads. He has the power to finish through contact, so expect him to win his fair share of collisions. The thing that he brings to the table at the position is the ability to find daylight in tight spaces and cut quickly off of his blockers into those openings. He will get an extra couple of yards on interior running plays that most guys will miss.
People are always asking me for a comparison, and frankly there isn't a recent OSU back that comes to mind and only a handful of guys from the Big 12, and even those seem pretty flawed. The reality is that running backs have been trending away from the taller upright striders to guys that are more compact or jumbo backs. Chris Carson is kind of a throw-back in the sense that he is an upright strider with long legs on the plus side of 6 feet tall. Most comparisons are going to be a bit of a reach, so let me give you one that will require some limits. If you set aside the fact that he doesn't have the same developed route running skills, his stature and running style remind me of Ricky Watters. Obviously Watters was one of the best pass catching backs of his generation, so the comparison doesn't extend to the passing game, but if you look solely at running style (particularly between the tackles), there are similarities. {Side note: I still don't know why a back with 10,000 yards rushing and receiving along with Super Bowls is not in the NFL Hall of Fame, but that is a discussion for another day.} He reminds me of the type of guy that Osborne would try to recruit for the I-back position at Nebraska. Expect him to make an immediate impact and be a guy that touches the ball upwards of 20 times a game.
So far, you have Carson and Childs as a quality backfield tandem. Both are capable chain movers and play with a high degree of physicality. The missing element to the running attack is the quick jitterbug back that can come in and offer a true change of pace. That is where Todd Mays and Jeff Carr come into play. Both of them are difficult to get squared up in one on one tackling situations. Todd Mays has shown signs of being a player, but the spring time injury kept him from really jumping into the flow of the offense right away. He is still adjusting to the position switch, and if health at the position allowed a redshirt year, it might benefit him and help stagger the depth by class. The talk (and arguably the star) of the summer camp has been freshman Jeff Carr who was slighted in recruiting due primarily to his build. He put up tremendous numbers in high school (almost 2200 yards and 9.5 yards per carry as a senior), and was a highlight machine. He has elite change of direction ability with high end straight-line speed. He is the epitomy of an open space player, the type of guy that you absolutely want to isolate against linebackers and safeties in space, and the look of an elite kick returner.
I have heard comparisons thrown around with him, particularly with Kendall Hunter, but I don't see that from a skill set or style standpoint other than the fact he brings the 'make you miss' element and home run threat to the offense. During recruiting, a coaching friend of mine compared him to Jacquizz Rodgers, but after seeing Jeff Carr in person, I don't think that holds either. Rodgers had a much more compact, physical build, and ran with power. Carr has a more slight build and is much lighter on his feet. He has such quick change of direction that he leaves defenders grasping at nothing when they are close enough to touch him. (This provides a lot of 'did you see that' to his game.) The best comparison that comes to mind is Dante Hall (former Texas A&M running back and Kansas City all purpose threat), and that is a playing career arc that is plausible for him as he develops physically. I would anticipate him playing both on offense and in the return game.
There is a really good mix of skills when you combine this backfield, much better than a year ago. No one in this group has the straight line speed of Tyreek Hill, but all of the backs have more speed and big play ability than Desmond Roland. The prospect of being able to get yards that were not blocked is there with this group. Runs don't have to be bounced outside. Rennie Childs can run through poor tackling and has enough speed to breakaway. Chris Carson can set up blocks and runs to daylight, able to make guys miss in the second level. Jeff Carr can provide the pop with big plays in the open field. The Cowboys are in good shape at running back.
