This time last spring, the running back position was one of the biggest question marks going into Dan Mullen’s second season as head coach following the departure of MSU’s all-time leading rusher Anthony Dixon.
A year later, two guys who saw their first game action in the 2010 season opener have made running back one of the strongest positions on the team heading into 2011. Senior Vick Ballard was no stranger to the endzone in his junior season, and sophomore LaDarius Perkins showcased his speed in the open field with big games against UAB, Ole Miss and Michigan.
However, for Mullen there is still room for improvement at the running back position. When asked what the group needed to improve on, he responded with “everything.”
“Making their reads, consistent reads, pass protection, ball security; those are some areas that were a little bit slippery last year,” Mullen said.
Ballard, who transferred to MSU last spring from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, emerged as the every-down back last season. His 19 rushing touchdowns were fifth-best in FBS last season, and he finished just short of the 1,000 yard mark with 968 yards.
The Pascagoula native used last spring as an opportunity to learn the offense, which helped prepare him for the adjustment from playing community college level to the SEC. Coming into 2011, he is the sixth-leading returning rusher in the conference.
“Last spring when I got here, I had to learn the offense; now, this spring, I feel like I’ve been here forever,” Ballard said. “I’m 30 steps ahead of where I was last spring. I’m able to learn small stuff to make big plays.”
In contrast to Ballard’s conventional running style is Perkins, who considers himself the fastest person on the team, a claim that could easily be true. In his high school days at St. Joseph High in Greenville, he broke a track record that had been held for over 30 years with a 10.9-second time in the 100 meters.
In the last two games of the season, Perkins flashed his playmaking ability with 319 all-purpose yards against Ole Miss and 79 receiving yards in the Gator Bowl against Michigan on just two receptions.
Perkins was successful when he got the ball in the open field as he averaged 27.4 yards per reception in his redshirt freshman campaign. Mullen liked what he saw from Perkins catching balls out of the backfield last fall but said he hopes to see him improve on his 511 rushing yards.
“He’s growing, which is what we want,” Mullen said. “We know he’s explosive. He made big plays late in the season, but he’s got to develop into an all-around back. He’s starting to get there.”
Coming from a rural  Mississippi high school to the SEC is not easy for many on Mullen’s team, which is heavy on in-state talent. For Perkins, a redshirt year in 2009 helped ease the process.
“Coming from a 1A school that I came from and coming to the SEC, it’s a hard transaction,” Perkins said. “You just have to be patient, learn your playbook, make sure you do the right things and everything will fall in place for you.”
Nick Griffin, who redshirted in 2010, is also expected to play a significant role in the running game next year. However, his spring practice is now over after an ACL tear in his left knee. His timetable for recovery is unknown at this point, but Mullen said he hopes to have him back by the time the season starts.
The running backs are not the only ones expected to contribute to the Bulldogs’ ground game. Last year, quarterback Chris Relf rushed for 713 yards and two 100-yard games, making him the second-leading rusher on the team. Junior Chad Bumphis also saw some carries last year lining up at quarterback in the wildcat formation.
With the emergence of Perkins late in the season, competition for carries has increased, but Ballard said he is not worried about who has the best stats.
“If I had a bad game, Perk had a good game,” Ballard said. “As long as somebody from the running back group had a good game I was OK.”