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Column: Triple-threat at the running back position may be blessing in disguise

March 29, 2016
<p>Freshman running back Madre London points to the crowd after scoring a touchdown on Sept. 4, 2015, during a game against Western Michigan at Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo, Mich. The Spartans beat the Broncos, 37-24. State News File Photo</p>

Freshman running back Madre London points to the crowd after scoring a touchdown on Sept. 4, 2015, during a game against Western Michigan at Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo, Mich. The Spartans beat the Broncos, 37-24. State News File Photo

The 2016-17 MSU football team will be looking to win its second-straight Big Ten title, and the Spartans are in a similar position to the one it was in at the beginning of the 2013-14 season; several talented running backs, a top defense and an unknown at the quarterback position. 

That year saw redshirt-junior running back Jeremy Langford rush for 1,422 yards and 18 rushing touchdowns as Spartan fans witnessed the beginning of what would be a fantastic career for the now Chicago Bear running back. 

That season, Langford, along with Nick Hill carried MSU's offense as none its quarterbacks threw for over 100-yards or any touchdowns until the third week of the season when then-sophomore Connor Cook emerged as the top-dog in the MSU quarterback competition. 

MSU could be forced to lean on its rushing attack early in the season this season as redshirt-senior Tyler O'Connor, redshirt-junior Damion Terry and redshirt-freshman Brian Lewerke battle it out for the starting job at quarterback. 

Last season, as Connor Cook watched from the sidelines, MSU ran the ball 51 times for 203 yards while only attempting only 16 passes for 91 yards as O'Connor and Terry led MSU past Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio. 

MSU returns all of its key running backs from a season ago when now-sophomore L.J. Scott, now-redshirt-sophomore Madre London and now-redshirt-junior Gerald Holmes who all rushed for over 500 yards and a combined 22 touchdowns. 

Scott was listed as the number two running back on the spring football depth chart. Scott looked like a star in the making during his freshman campaign leading the team with 699 yards, including a one-yard run that won MSU the Big Ten Championship. If he takes the next step forward, as one could reasonably assume he will, he could have a season similar to the breakout season Langford had in 2013. 

His combination of speed and size and quickness is rare at his position and should allow him to eventually become one of the top running backs in the country. 

London rushed for 500 yards and three touchdowns in his redshirt-freshman year and started the first six games of the season before missing three games due to injury. London didn't carry the ball as much once he returned from injury as Scott and Holmes played well. 

London is listed as the starting running back on MSU's spring football depth chart and figures to have a prominent role this season as MSU will likely use all of its running backs in order to find the hot runner on any given day. 

Holmes was MSU's second leading runner last season, carrying the ball for 540 yards and eight touchdowns. Holmes was also the leading receiver from MSU's three main running backs as he caught 10 passes for 92 yards. 

Holmes proved to be MSU's best receiver out of the backfield and looks like could find a nice roll as the third-down running back with his ability to block in the passing game and catch the ball out of the backfield. Holmes is listed as the third running back on the MSU spring football depth chart. 

No matter who head coach Mark Dantonio chooses as the starter to begin the season, all three running backs promise to carry a hefty role for MSU this season as the Spartans allow the quarterback competition to unfold and the best signal-caller to rise up. 

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