It was about this time in 2006 when the question around campus started: How do you replace Jerious Norwood?
In his senior season, he amassed 1,275 all-purpose yards and was considered the best player on the field for the Bulldogs. Many wondered how much production would slip in the running game and if the Dawgs would ever see another playmaker like Norwood.
Into this situation stepped a young running back by the name of Anthony Dixon. Dixon started five games that season as a true freshman and showed a glimmer of what could be in store for the future in Starkville.
Just four years down the road, the question has again resurfaced, only this time with a newer and even greater name at the end. How do you replace Anthony Dixon? In his senior season, Dixon not only led the SEC in rushing yards per game but found the time to rewrite the MSU record books. He finished his impressive career with Bulldog records in career rushing yards, single game rushing yards, single season rushing yards and many others.
There are plenty of players looking to pick up where Dixon left off, and at this point in the spring, the position battle is wide open.
There are four candidates for the starting running back job and all have their strengths. The most experienced is Robert Elliot, a junior out of Okolona who has spent plenty of time in Dan Mullen’s system. He averaged five yards per carry last season on 44 carries along with playing special teams.
The other backs competing will be experiencing their first year of live action in the SEC. The most experience of these three belongs to junior college transfer Vick Ballard. Ballard was a junior college All-American at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College last season where he ran for 1,785 yards and scored 22 touchdowns.
Mullen said he is eager to see what Ballard can bring to the table.
“He’s a very steady player,” Mullen said. “You watch him and he’s not real flashy. He’s a physical tough runner and is just very consistent. You’re not gonna be wowed by him, but you know at the end of the day that he’s a very productive player.”
Ballard said he felt the same when asked about his role in the offense.
“I don’t really know, I’m just gonna play my part and get the job done,” Ballard said.
The guy considered to have the most upside is redshirt freshman Montrell Conner. Taking a look at Conner coming out of high school a year ago, he appeared to be a Dixon clone. Both carried four star ratings by Scout.com and were ranked among the top 31 running back prospects in the nation. Conner comes in with a 6’2″ frame carrying 215 pounds, which compares favorably to Dixon’s 6’1,” 228 lbs., and both rushed for nearly 2,000 yards in their senior seasons.
Conner looks to be the future at the running back position but it remains to be seen if he is the present in the backfield.
The final prospect is LaDarius Perkins, who redshirted last season with Conner. Perkins came out of high school as a three star prospect who ran for over 1,900 yards twice in his high school career. Perkins appears to be the home run hitter of this group of running backs and has been praised for his playmaking ability in the open field.
Mullen made it clear that the search is still ongoing for Dixon’s replacement saying there is no clear frontrunner.
“I don’t know if there is one guy leading the race,” Mullen said. “You keep seeing Robert Elliott, who is steady doing some good things. Ballard is doing some good things, and Perkins has that big play ability.”
Ballard said it is true when Mullen said there is no front runner.
“Right now he’s using all of us, so I think that’s how it’s gonna be during the season,” Ballard said.
The most important factor affecting the play of these backs doesn’t have much to do with any of the things already listed.
A big factor will be the play of the offensive line that blocks for them.
Junior guard Quentin Saulsberry said he is looking forward to the challenge of a brand new backfield.
“As an offensive line, you shouldn’t really have to think about who is back there,” he said. “The only two things we can control are attitude and effort. With the players we have, everything else will take care of itself.”
Cutline: Senior Robert Elliot, left, warms up during one of the Bulldogs’ spring practices last week.
Junior community college transfer Vick Ballard, right, finishes a sprint on the practice field.