Smith: Arkansas RBs must ‘earn their keep’

FAYETTEVILLE — If one didn’t know better while listening to Arkansas running backs coach Jimmy Smith speak Saturday, they may think his backfield is full of unproven players.

That is because the fourth-year Razorbacks assistant demands his players “earn their keep” week in and week out. Even preseason first-team All-SEC selection Raheim “Rocket” Sanders is not exempt.

“Every week that’s what pushes Rocket so hard,” Smith said following Day 2 of fall camp. “He learned when I first got here you have a starter for a week. There’s not a starter for a season. It’s a starter for a week.

“Everybody has got to earn their keep every week. It’s a big deal for you to practice good every day because we’re about winning games.”

The result of this attitude Smith holds is a hunger from his star back, who ran for 1,443 yards and nearly claimed the SEC rushing title in 2022.

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“Rocket is one of those guys who he competes every day like he’s eighth string or something,” Smith said. “Like, he competes all the time. He goes hard all the time.”

The running backs room has plenty of depth, and Smith said all his options bring different things to the table.

Sanders is fast and powerful. Junior AJ Green is “fast, fast, fast,” as noted by Smith. Sophomore Rashod Dubinion has the ability to change speed and direction quickly. Redshirt junior Dominique Johnson is big, powerful and has been a force against SEC competition before.

And freshman Isaiah Augustave may be learning the system still, but is young and talented.

“Honestly, from the outside it looks difficult,” Smith said on making decisions centered on who to give carries, “but for me, it’s fun. I’ve got 1A, 1B, 1C, got Dominique on the way, and I have Isaiah on the way. So, they compete.

“Like I say about the guys all the time, it’s fun because I know one can go in there and run for 10 [yards] and I know the other one is saying, ‘Give it to me so I run for 15,’ and the next one’s saying, ‘Give it to me so I can run for 20.’

“They’re not selfish at all. All they want to see is each other be successful. That’s a beautiful thing for me.”

Sanders echoed his coach’s sentiments when he took the podium later.

“I’m definitely going to be there to help somebody next to me and somebody in front of me,” Sanders said, “because I want to be great as a unit, not just me.”

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He said with the amount of talent in the position group, every running back knows he will have an opportunity to showcase his abilities. Sanders and others know they are part of a system in which they will need each other for success.

“Outside looking in, it’s like everybody’s figuring out who’s the 1 or who’s the 2 or whatnot,” Sanders said. “As we see it, you know, everybody’s going to work and Coach Smith [has everyone] buy in in a way to help everybody develop what we need to develop.

“Everybody’s got different talent in a way. I feel like [who gets the touches] is not something we’re worrying about and we just keep working. 

“Everybody’s going to get theirs.”

Arkansas’ running backs room

Raheim “Rocket” Sanders — 6-2, 242 — Jr.

AJ Green — 5-11, 205 — Jr.

Rashod Dubinion — 5-10, 216 — So.

Dominique Johnson — 6-1, 252 — R-Jr.

Isaiah Augustave — 6-2, 208 — Fr.

Emmanuel Crawford — 5-10, 168 — Fr.

Jezreel Bachert — 6-1, 209 — R-Fr.