University of Delaware Athletics
Delaware's Selfless Running Backs Push Each Other To Big Performances
11/21/2019 4:48:00 PM | Football
Late in the first quarter of Delaware football's 17-10 win over Stony Brook last Saturday, the Blue Hens rolled out an offensive formation reminiscent of the days of Tubby Raymond.
With quarterback Pat Kehoe in the shotgun, running backs Will Knight, DeJoun Lee and Quincy Watson lined up on either side and behind him, forming a T in the backfield. Stony Brook frantically called a timeout to sort out the new-look set, and on the next play Watson earned a first down after drawing a pass interference penalty on a wheel route.
And while head coach Danny Rocco may not actually be reviving the famed Wing-T offense, the three-back set showcased not only how much the Blue Hens' running back corps has grown this season, but the potential and versatility they have moving forward.
Specifically, Knight and Lee have blossomed into a formidable one-two punch at running back for the Delaware offense. Against the Seawolves, Knight went off for 108 rushing yards and 28 receiving yards, while Lee racked up 61 yards rushing, a 13-yard catch, and 27 yards of kickoff returns. It marked the second straight week that the pair each had over 100 all-purpose yards.
For Knight, it was his fourth game of the season with 100 or more yards, and the fourth straight game scoring a touchdown after he used a pair of explosive cuts to find the end zone from 21 yards out and put the Blue Hens ahead for good.
Knight, a graduate of Smyrna High School in Smyrna, Del., played four games for Old Dominion in 2018 before redshirting to maintain freshman eligibility. Now, nearly through his first full season of college football and his first in a Delaware uniform, Knight is second in the Colonial Athletic Association with 830 total rushing yards.
The duo of Lee and Knight has brought an element of explosiveness to the Blue Hens offense. Knight averages an impressive 7.16 yards per carry, the fifth-highest mark in the FCS. Lee contributes a respectable 4.4 yards per carry himself.
"What I've repeatedly seen Will do is, if there's a hole, and there's somebody trying to tackle his legs, he's not going down," Lee said. "If there's one guy coming down trying to tackle his legs, Will will break it and then he's to the second level."
While Knight is a powerful, downhill runner, the smaller Lee is more of a slasher that quickly hits holes for big gains. Rotating touches between the two means that not only are defenses facing a change of pace, they're constantly having to deal with a fresh and rested back.
"It's magnificent," Knight said of his backfield partnership with Lee. "Having a fresh running back come in and run hard, and having another running back pick up where the other running back left off, it makes the defense work harder in having the same intensity."
Both Knight and Lee have developed as the 2019 season has progressed. Knight, who missed spring practice with Delaware in the process of transferring, has slowly earned a larger share of the carries each week as he improves in his protection and his knowledge of the offense. Lee missed three games early in the season after suffering an injury at Rhode Island, and has gained confidence each subsequent week after his return.
"He did it in a very steady, journeyman-like way. Not being featured early, picking up carries as the season went on, then being at his best here at the end, being recognized [as CAA Rookie of the Week] here this past week," Rocco said of Knight's progression as a college running back. "That's really encouraging; they both appear to be getting stronger as the year goes on."
"I've grown a lot," Knight said. "I'm blessed to be coached by this staff. It's endless teaching, helping you understand things better, why you're doing such things in a football game, what to understand and look for."
Ask anybody inside the Delaware football program and they'll tell you that the strength of the running back group is the support they have for each other.
"The most impressive thing that I can say about those two guys and that position is they are as in-tune and supportive of each other as any position group I've ever seen or been around," Rocco said. "And that's a really neat thing. And they want each other to excel and have success."
"It's unique. This past weekend I really took a moment to step back and look at it," Lee said. "As a whole collective unit, the running back room is so selfless. We all just want to see each other succeed and Coach [Bill] Cubit (Delaware's running backs coach) said Sunday, 'This is what makes this room so successful. You guys all genuinely want each other to succeed and you help each other.'"
Possibly the most exciting about Delaware's explosive group of running backs is that they all return for the 2020 season. Lee will be a fifth-year senior next year, while Knight has three full years of eligibility left. Even if they see the field against Villanova, Watson, an electric freshman, and junior Khory Spruill will only have played in four games this season. That's few enough to qualify for a redshirt and maintain their same eligibility for 2020.
Both Knight and Lee point to their back-ups as being 1) talented backs who can contribute to the offense, and 2) key contributors to the supportive energy amongst the position group.
That bond between the Blue Hens translates directly to their play on the field. Lee singled out the new three-back set, where he was put in the unique position to be a lead blocker for Knight (Lee is listed at 5-foot-7).
"Getting the opportunity to also lead block for your fellow running back is cool, because he had one good run and I went and had a defensive end [to block]," Lee said. "You work your butt off for me, and we push each other to be the best that we can be, we're in at the same time, I promise you that I'm going to make this block. It's not, 'Oh I need to make this block for my assignment.' I'm going to make this block because I'm going to do what he deserves and that's how it's going to make the team better."
With quarterback Pat Kehoe in the shotgun, running backs Will Knight, DeJoun Lee and Quincy Watson lined up on either side and behind him, forming a T in the backfield. Stony Brook frantically called a timeout to sort out the new-look set, and on the next play Watson earned a first down after drawing a pass interference penalty on a wheel route.
And while head coach Danny Rocco may not actually be reviving the famed Wing-T offense, the three-back set showcased not only how much the Blue Hens' running back corps has grown this season, but the potential and versatility they have moving forward.
Specifically, Knight and Lee have blossomed into a formidable one-two punch at running back for the Delaware offense. Against the Seawolves, Knight went off for 108 rushing yards and 28 receiving yards, while Lee racked up 61 yards rushing, a 13-yard catch, and 27 yards of kickoff returns. It marked the second straight week that the pair each had over 100 all-purpose yards.
For Knight, it was his fourth game of the season with 100 or more yards, and the fourth straight game scoring a touchdown after he used a pair of explosive cuts to find the end zone from 21 yards out and put the Blue Hens ahead for good.
Knight, a graduate of Smyrna High School in Smyrna, Del., played four games for Old Dominion in 2018 before redshirting to maintain freshman eligibility. Now, nearly through his first full season of college football and his first in a Delaware uniform, Knight is second in the Colonial Athletic Association with 830 total rushing yards.
The duo of Lee and Knight has brought an element of explosiveness to the Blue Hens offense. Knight averages an impressive 7.16 yards per carry, the fifth-highest mark in the FCS. Lee contributes a respectable 4.4 yards per carry himself.
"What I've repeatedly seen Will do is, if there's a hole, and there's somebody trying to tackle his legs, he's not going down," Lee said. "If there's one guy coming down trying to tackle his legs, Will will break it and then he's to the second level."
While Knight is a powerful, downhill runner, the smaller Lee is more of a slasher that quickly hits holes for big gains. Rotating touches between the two means that not only are defenses facing a change of pace, they're constantly having to deal with a fresh and rested back.
"It's magnificent," Knight said of his backfield partnership with Lee. "Having a fresh running back come in and run hard, and having another running back pick up where the other running back left off, it makes the defense work harder in having the same intensity."
Both Knight and Lee have developed as the 2019 season has progressed. Knight, who missed spring practice with Delaware in the process of transferring, has slowly earned a larger share of the carries each week as he improves in his protection and his knowledge of the offense. Lee missed three games early in the season after suffering an injury at Rhode Island, and has gained confidence each subsequent week after his return.
"He did it in a very steady, journeyman-like way. Not being featured early, picking up carries as the season went on, then being at his best here at the end, being recognized [as CAA Rookie of the Week] here this past week," Rocco said of Knight's progression as a college running back. "That's really encouraging; they both appear to be getting stronger as the year goes on."
"I've grown a lot," Knight said. "I'm blessed to be coached by this staff. It's endless teaching, helping you understand things better, why you're doing such things in a football game, what to understand and look for."
Ask anybody inside the Delaware football program and they'll tell you that the strength of the running back group is the support they have for each other.
"The most impressive thing that I can say about those two guys and that position is they are as in-tune and supportive of each other as any position group I've ever seen or been around," Rocco said. "And that's a really neat thing. And they want each other to excel and have success."
"It's unique. This past weekend I really took a moment to step back and look at it," Lee said. "As a whole collective unit, the running back room is so selfless. We all just want to see each other succeed and Coach [Bill] Cubit (Delaware's running backs coach) said Sunday, 'This is what makes this room so successful. You guys all genuinely want each other to succeed and you help each other.'"
Possibly the most exciting about Delaware's explosive group of running backs is that they all return for the 2020 season. Lee will be a fifth-year senior next year, while Knight has three full years of eligibility left. Even if they see the field against Villanova, Watson, an electric freshman, and junior Khory Spruill will only have played in four games this season. That's few enough to qualify for a redshirt and maintain their same eligibility for 2020.
Both Knight and Lee point to their back-ups as being 1) talented backs who can contribute to the offense, and 2) key contributors to the supportive energy amongst the position group.
That bond between the Blue Hens translates directly to their play on the field. Lee singled out the new three-back set, where he was put in the unique position to be a lead blocker for Knight (Lee is listed at 5-foot-7).
"Getting the opportunity to also lead block for your fellow running back is cool, because he had one good run and I went and had a defensive end [to block]," Lee said. "You work your butt off for me, and we push each other to be the best that we can be, we're in at the same time, I promise you that I'm going to make this block. It's not, 'Oh I need to make this block for my assignment.' I'm going to make this block because I'm going to do what he deserves and that's how it's going to make the team better."
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