Western Courier

Issue date: 1/24/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: AJ Self Illinois State running back Pierre Rembert ran for 1,743 yards and 16 touchdowns during his 2006 campaign.

Southern Illinois running back Arkee Whitlock compiled the most all-purpose yards in the Gateway Football Conference this season with 2,330 and scored 25 rushing touchdowns.

When it comes to the NFL, changes are not easily converted into common behavior.

The forward pass has taken more than 70 years to develop into the intricate system pro and college teams run today.

The salary cap for teams has taken more than a decade to master, even with well-versed economists cutting corners at every turn.

As much difficulty as the NFL has in making changes, its collective minds know how to swiftly conform to a new era - an era that as early as this year could change the bypassing of Division-I Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) running backs.

At the turn of the century, NFL running backs were playing at a rampant pace. Not only were they running the ball, but they had to remain in the game simply as decoys on plays where they were too tired to run.

The result: Careers for running backs were shorter because their bodies would break down more quickly.

Since talent and healthfulness at the running back position is vital to a team's success, NFL organizations began to carry two legitimate starting running backs on their teams. Some even have three very capable runners just to ensure that if one goes down, the team can still maintain the two-back system.

Here is where the Championship Subdivision comes into play. Over time, the Bowl Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) became more passing-oriented to better prepare players for the more advanced, pass-based NFL game.

The Championship Subdivision has yet to make that conversion. Most of the top teams still run first, run second and pass when necessary, making their featured backs more valuable to NFL scouts.

Take the 2007 National Champion Florida Gators, for example. Can you name the running back who starred on that team? Better yet, can the average fan list off the best five running backs headed to the NFL? Probably not, but I bet they know the best quarterbacks that will be seen on draft day.

ESPN.com has 12 Championship Subdivision running backs, including the Gateway's own Arkee Whitlock (SIU) and Pierre Rembert (ISU), listed among the Top 50 prospective running backs entering the NFL draft.

Combined with a weak class of top running backs from big schools (a trend that will continue for a few more years), top rushers who have played games at Hanson Field might get to perform under the lights of an NFL stadium awfully soon.

If you need proof, look no further than former Southern Illinois running back Brandon Jacobs, who will take the reins of the New York Giants backfield due to the retiring of Tiki Barber. Even former Western standout Aaron Stecker still sees time in the backfield with the New Orleans Saints, despite superstars Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush being above him on the depth chart.

Without a good running back combo, the teams we saw this past weekend in the championship games would not be nearly as dangerous offensively. The four NFL teams eliminated two weekends ago - Seattle (Shaun Alexander), Philadelphia (Brian Westbrook), Baltimore (Jamal Lewis) and San Diego (LaDainian Tomlinson) - can look no further than their depth at running back as a problem that needs fixing.

The only exception might be in San Diego, where Michael Turner could be the best second-stringer in the league.

The long-term effect the two-back system has on NFL teams will be interesting to see. Most likely it will prolong the careers of star players, making them marketable for a longer period. But for Championship Subdivision football players, the sign is posted clearly on the wall: talented running backs welcome.

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