Backfield battle could benefit Rams offense

FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Two backs, both with something to prove.

It's a competition which could pay off well this season for Colorado State.

Marvin Kinsey Jr. went to social media, promising this, his senior year, would be his freshman campaign times 10. That wouldn't be Marcus McElroy's style, but it most certainly is his intention.

For Kinsey, it's been a long road back from an injury. For McElroy, a trying path from an ailment. Either way, both are out to be the back they were meant to be, which would land them atop the depth chart, churning out 20-plus carries a game and piling up the yardage.

McElroy is just a junior, coming off a season where he was a backup, appearing in 12 games, but with just 52 carries and 219 yards for a team that struggled in the rushing game. He never really felt like himself, having missed the season prior dealing with an out-of-the blue blood clot issue.

While he was cleared for contact in the fall, he was still sheltered a bit from taking any, and as a running back, the feel of contact and what to do next was suddenly foreign to McElroy, who tore up prep fields at Mullen. He also couldn't seem to find his way, another product of not getting reps for so long.

"I was stronger and faster than before, the issue was just the disconnect in seeing things," McElroy said. "For me, it was more like catching up for a while. Even when we started the season, there were still moments when I was like, dang, why did I miss that, why am I still missing some of these holes? I got stronger and faster, but why was I still struggling with certain things? It was part of the process of getting my visual skills.

"They take a long time. I sort of, looking back on the season, it was sort of like I was doing extra stuff to be more physical. A lot of my runs, I was running more at people, trying to run people over and get used to doing that again. OK, I can do it, now I need to start on working on making people miss. I started doing that to add to my repertoire, and I felt I went back a step. I needed to make cuts, make people miss, and it was sort of like how do I get back into doing all this? It wasn't that I was slow, it was moments I could make someone miss, and I wasn't making that choice."

Kinsey only played in nine games and had 11 more carries, finishing with 256 yards, giving him 926 for his career. As a freshman, he was explosive. He seemed to be hitting his stride at the end of the year, breaking off a 75-yard scoring run at New Mexico, finishing with 127 yards. A week later on a wet night at San Diego State, a burst led to a 27-yard scoring run.

Then during bowl game preparations, he blew out his knee. Three years later, the game with the Lobos is still the only time he's surpassed the century mark.

"People are like, Marvin fell off, he had a great freshman year, but what has he done?" he said. "I feel like this year I have a lot to prove to myself and those who have doubted me. I think this is a season for me to remember and go all out."

Early in camp, when asked about Kinsey, head coach Mike Bobo declared the Atlanta product is "always in my doghouse," and Kinsey has been disciplined in the past. As for residing there, Kinsey said it's in the best interest for him.

"Coach Bobo is always on me. He wants to see me succeed and whatnot," Kinsey said. "He said he's going to stay on me until I graduate. I wouldn't say I'm in his doghouse, I mean, I haven't gotten in trouble in a long, long time. He's saying that to keep me accountable so I can be dependable for this team."

If he does, then freshman year times 10. "It's going to be something to watch this season," he added.

McElroy is still in search of his highlight game, breakout season. Now is as good of a time as any, he feels. He's even bigger, he's definitely faster and he feels he has the issue of contact or not figured out.

It was good to get contact again in camp. He took on Dequan Jackson in pass protection, and Logan Stewart came up and delivered a pretty good lick the first day in full pads.

"I feel a lot different. Right now it's a different type of confidence," McElroy said. "It's not that I know what I'm doing, it's the whole team, it's the whole line. I'm ready to go and they're ready to go. We're going to make sure we do something."

Give him 20 carries, he's positive he can carry the load.

The same thing goes for Kinsey. Right now, neither one of them has separated enough to be the clear No. 1. It could very well be the Rams go with a committee, which Bobo has employed in the past. Make no mistake, that's not the intention of either of the backs involved.

That isn't necessarily a bad thing.

"Competition is great. You either get better or you quit, and you can see neither of us is quitting," Kinsey said. "We're both getting better. He has something to prove, I have something to prove. He wants to play, I want to play. We just compete every day in practice for the starting job. You'll see Aug. 30 who the starter is.

"I want to be the guy for sure. If you don't want to be the guy, then you shouldn't be here. I know he wants to be the guy, and I for sure want to be the guy. It's a matter of who practices better, who coach trusts and who does better."

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