WSU position preview: Running back Ahead of the curve

PULLMAN – After sharing a high school backfield in Southern California with Reggie Bush, it’s no wonder that Derrell Hutsona doesn’t like being compared to other running backs.
So imagine his surprise when Washington State University running backs coach Kelly Skipper called Hutsona this summer to tell him that the No. 4 he wanted was taken and that he had secured a different jersey instead.
No. 1.
“And I was like, ‘Augh.’ I knew,” Hutsona recalled.
What he knew is that his new jersey has history at WSU – recent history, at that.
Last season, Jerome Harrison dashed for 1,900 yards and a slew of touchdowns wearing the same digit. Now it’s up to Hutsona to make that jersey look good once again after transferring in from junior college.
As a slender, patient runner with a penchant for juking out defenders, the comparison to Harrison is obvious. Sorry, Derrell.
“It’s like a big ol’ star hanging on my shoulders,” he said. “I didn’t expect that number, but I’m going to keep it.”
Hutsona isn’t expected to be the workhorse out of the gate, and he may never be, either. There are a handful of other running backs in camp with designs on seeing significant time, and DeMaundray Woolridge entered camp as the declared starter.
But Hutsona is starting to make inroads, showing off that flashy running style out of the backfield and on kick returns, where he may end up being the first Cougar to touch the football to open the 2006 season.
“He’s still got a long way to go to learn the whole offense,” head coach Bill Doba said. “But his natural talent – he can run and just stop on a dime and reverse his field.”
Junior college running backs coming to WSU – and Hutsona is one in a long line that includes Harrison – have often taken a while to pick up the offense, sometimes as much as half of their junior season.
Skipper thinks that Hutsona is slightly ahead of that curve, even if he does have much to figure out.
“He’s still got to get some polish on some of the plays – but the plays he knows, he does pretty good,” Skipper said.
Hutsona has already impressed with a couple of nifty runs in scrimmages, including one on Wednesday night in which he eluded multiple tacklers in the backfield before reversing direction and gaining 13 yards.
“It’s all about a matter of time and patience,” he said. “Wherever they put me, I’m going to try to contribute.”
There remains a question about how effective some of Hutsona’s moves will be when he faces competition stiffer than backup Cougars defenses.
But then again, Harrison faced the same questions two years ago, and to a lesser extent Bush got the same treatment coming out of high school. That’s one comparison Hutsona might just find acceptable.
“He’s got natural instincts,” Skipper said. “If you’ve got that, you can do it against anybody.”
Notes
Wide receiver Michael Bumpus will miss some time with a strained left MCL, Doba said. Woolridge also took the day off to rest. … Aaron Johnson participated in all but a few drills in the afternoon, a return to practice that was much earlier than anticipated after sustaining a strained hamstring. … Defensive tackle Bryan Tarkington still remains in official limbo pending transcript approval, but it appears his bid for eligibility is starting to make progress. Tarkington is living in Pullman and has watched every practice from the sideline. … Running back Marcus Richmond has been cleared by the NCAA Clearinghouse and is practicing with the team.