Vivens Starting to Feel Back at Home at Running Back

FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- This was not going to be as simple as getting back on the bike. No, A'Jon Vivens found it was going to require some getting used to, especially at the college level.

He made the switch from a slot receiver to being in a running back last spring, which really turned out to be a brief introduction.

Productive, but still brief. A year later, it feels good.

Feels right.

"I'm feeling extremely confident, coming out, trying to work on the small things every day just to keep improving and working harder," Vivens said. "I'm a lot more comfortable than I was last season, of course; I really know what I'm doing.

"It's a bit different. Even when I was playing receiver, I feel like I was doing things, like breaking tackles, running hard and things like that. Taking that to the running back positon, it was having to translate that to handing off the ball off instead of catching it."

He had half a spring to learn about being a running back again, then one third of a season to put those lessons into action. He played in all four games and finished as the Rams' most productive ball carrier, with 49 attempts leading to 210 yards, an average of 4.3 yards per tote.

He had done this before, back at Mullen High School, replacing Marcus McElroy, who is once again a teammate. But as he found last year, there is still so much more to learn, and he said running backs Coach Brian White is helping him find the right path.

"There are little nuances and things like that," Vivens said. "Especially working with Coach White. Being able to read defenses and be able to know blitzes and different fronts and things like that makes it all a lot easier when you're running the ball. Just that mental aspect of it really adds a lot."

Naturally, his focus is on perfecting his craft as a running back, and it may take him back to his Mustang days. As a senior, he rushed for 705 yards and produced 557 more receiving the ball. Oddly, he had just one reception for the Rams last year.

So far in camp, new offensive coordinator Jon Budmayr has liked what he's seen. He loves the approach of the sophomore, especially when it comes to understanding what the run game is trying to accomplish. In part, a successful ground attack can lead to a more open passing game, and Budmayr would like to tap into that dual potential for Vivens even more this season.

"We can make him probably more dynamic in the pass game," he said. "I think he can give us an element there that can help us do some things coming out of the backfield. Whether it's that or lining up in some empty sets. Just being dynamic in the pass game, I think it would be fun to watch him develop in that."

But running back will remain the primary focus for all involved, as they feel he has the potential to create some big plays. That's not a blind hope of the coaching staff, it is based off the quick glimpse from a season ago.

Of the 12 explosive runs by the offense, three of them came from quarterbacks. Of the nine by running backs, Vivens produced five of them, with a career long of 30.

Seeing is believing, and his teammates expect to see more.

"He just looks special right there," wideout Dante Wright said. "He just works hard. I have a lot of confidence when he's back there. You can tell from practice, and especially in the game, because there's nothing like game reps. Him having those plays on the field, you can definitely see the confidence boost."

There will be a battle for those carries, too. For Vivens, that means splitting time with his former high school teammate, which he admitted can be fun at times with the history he and McElroy share.

It's all good from Vivens' standpoint, the jokes they can share in a running back room filled with Colorado talent. That's special too, with Jaylen Thomas and Tanner Hollens in the fold – even if the youngster is from rival Columbine.

Vivens said there isn't anything he can do to get under McElroy's skin – though his smile suggested otherwise – but in the end, the bond they all have to share is building a trust with each other and within their roles in the offense.

"You want to know when you come out that that person who is going to be running the ball in the game is ready to go at all times," Vivens said. "I have confidence in Marcus, I have confidence in Jaylen, I have confidence in Tanner, because of the way we prepare as a unit. We really took it upon ourselves in the offseason to work hard and get ready."

Which is important for the team's success.

Colorado State's run game needs to improve beyond the 3.2 yards per carry of 2020, and the 124 yards per game. As the first two in line, McElroy and Vivens consider it a calling to make sure they use spring camp to get the rushing attack on the right path.

"I think right now with the run game, once you get everybody back and put everybody in the positions that we need and we really get the run game going and start implementing more plays, I think we'll be a lot stronger," McElroy said. "We'll be a lot more prepared and in a better positon by the end of spring to really make strides and develop that run game the way I think me and A'Jon can really put ourselves out there for."

Vivens may still be new to the position at the college level, but he's learning. He's definitely taken the training wheels off at this point.

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