Countdown to camp: Which WSU running backs will separate themselves from the pack?

PULLMAN – Here is the seventh installment of our countdown to Washington State fall camp, which starts on Wednesday. This issue covers the Cougars’ running backs.

Which WSU running backs will separate themselves from the pack?

For Washington State, there may not be a position battle more wide open than the one at running back.

Four players are competing for the starting job: redshirt freshman Leo Pulalasi, redshirt sophomore Djouvensky Schlenbaker, redshirt junior Dylan Paine and true freshman Wayshawn Parker, a four-horse race that may take some time to develop during three weeks of fall camp.

If he were healthy, the one with a leg up might be Pulalasi, who recorded the best game of all of WSU’s running backs last season with an 11-carry, 66-yard outing in a loss to Cal. But he suffered a leg injury in WSU’s spring game in April, sidelining him for six to eight weeks. That puts him on track to return for fall camp, but there’s a chance he’s still getting in shape.

Schlenbaker and Paine also return some experience. A year ago, Schlenbaker totaled 33 carries for 146 yards, and Paine added 25 carries for 150 yards before a midseason ankle injury limited him the remainder of the year. Schlenbaker is the more capable pass-catcher, hauling in five passes for 32 yards last fall, but that likely comes secondary to the WSU coaches in charge of overseeing this battle.

Then there’s Parker, who raised eyebrows during spring practices. In their efforts to split carries evenly between running backs, WSU coaches included Parker, signaling he’s squarely in this race, true freshman or not. It’s easy to see why: He’s lightning-quick and elusive, and at 6-foot , he isn’t sacrificing any size.

“He’s just a competitive dude to his core,” WSU coach Jake Dickert said during spring ball. “He rushed over 2,000 yards last year, and we went to one of his playoff games, and it was just like, ‘This guy’s incredible.’ So to do some early things is good for us.”

It figures to be one of the most important decisions Cougars coaches make this fall. They need their offense to produce a reliable run game, otherwise they risk falling into the same patterns they did last season, when their lack of any credible rushing game made their offense stale and predictable. Of 133 FBS teams, the Cougs finished No. 106 last season in PFF’s team rushing grades.

That doesn’t all come down to the running back – many of Washington State’s issues in the running game last fall stemmed from its offensive line, which languished in the run blocking department. The passing game suffered, too – but WSU coaches would do well to start the candidate who can identify creases and take advantage.

For coaches, their main concern might be who can stay healthy consistently.

Pulalasi should be recovered from his injury, but that’s worth monitoring with him. Paine went down last season with an ankle injury in a road loss to Oregon. Schlenbaker maintained a clean bill of health, and Parker did the same during spring practices.

That might be good news for Washington State. No matter who coaches select to start on Saturdays, they have good options at running back. The reason the race is so close, after all, is because all four guys have given coaches reasons to believe in them. Regardless of how fall camp unfolds, that shouldn’t change.