Story by
The Anniston Star, Ala.
Jax State football: Lando, Likely lead deep running back position for Gamecocks
- Story byThe Anniston Star, Ala.
- Jax State football: Lando, Likely lead deep running back position for Gamecocks
JACKSONVILLE — All-America running back Cam Cook has left Jax State for the University of West Virginia, and he has left behind a lot of carries and yards.
He rushed for a nation-leading 1,659 yards on 295 attempts last season, which means there's a huge hole for someone to fill when the season starts Aug. 29 at North Dakota State.
Advertisement
There are plenty of possible replacements in preseason camp, with juniors Kristian Lando and Jalen Likely at the top of the list. The Gamecocks have several newcomers to watch, including junior Jacob Cornejo, a transfer who rushed for 854 yards last season for NAIA Cumberland (Tenn.). He played at Cherokee County High.
Maurice Winston, a freshman, rushed for more than 2,600 yards last year for Randolph County. Jax State also has freshmen Jamarious Acklin (Mae Jemison in Huntsville) and Cedric Kouemi (The Bullis School in Gaithersburg, Md.). Sophomore Lucas Farrington and junior Justus Savage are back from a year ago.
"I think you know it's a fight right now to see who's the guy," Jax State coach Charles Kelly said after Thursday night's practice. "All of them have some different skill sets, which is really good. Likely has some of Cam in him. He's a make-you-miss guy. He's got really good speed. Lando — he's a big, powerful back, very durable, really good in pass protection. He can be a three-down back. And these other guys, they're playing really good."
Kelly added that a closed scrimmage is planned for Saturday, and he's eager to see how the running backs perform.
Advertisement
Whomever wins the job almost certainly won't have to run the ball as much as Cook did. Kelly is hoping for a bit more balance this fall.
"Listen, I'm a firm believer in doing what you want to do," he said. "You got to be able to do both, run and pass, and we've got to execute in the passing game. We got to make plays when people try to play us man-to-man and overload the box. We've got to be able to throw the football, and I think Caden (Creel) and the other quarterbacks have improved doing that."
Including Thursday's workout, Jax State has gone through 13 practices, and that's plenty of time for Likely to see he's a good fit for the offense that first-year offensive coordinator Taylor Housewright is installing.
"Throughout the whole camp, I feel like I've been doing great," Likely said. "I feel like my progress with my game has evolved a lot, especially with the way Coach Housewright is structuring the offense. It's a great fit for me, so I feel like it's involved my game a lot."
Advertisement
Lando was Cook's primary backup for much of last season, and he said he's trying to build off that.
"I've been trying my hardest during camp — just stay focused, not be complacent, not feel like I've gained anything," he said. "I didn't want to come into camp thinking that I made it or anything like that. I have to work like everybody else, and through camp, I've been getting better mentally, being able to process things faster."
He added that he is up to 211 pounds on his 6-foot-1 frame, which is about 10 pounds more than a year ago.
"I feel like that's going to help me with my run game," he said.
Advertisement
Both Likely and Lando said the competition at running back is solid.
"I feel like the competition just makes the bar higher," Lando said. "It just sets a standard in the room that just helps us all elevate. I feel like just being pushed every day to be a better version of myself."
