Maximizing Every Opportunity
Aug 19, 2020 | Football
NEW ORLEANS – The Tulane running back room is packed with talent. The five returners at the position combined for 1,312 yards and 11 touchdowns and they are looking to improve in 2020.
"We are definitely doing something special," redshirt freshman running back Tyjae Spears said. "There is a lot of energy from the QB room to the running back room to the tight end room to the O-line. We are holding each other accountable, especially with the defense we are going against everyday."
The running backs have a good reason to be excited as they are returning junior Amare Jones who finished last season with 1,611 all-purpose yards, which ranked seventh all-time in program history, fifth in the American Athletic Conference and 22nd nationally. He also scored six total touchdowns, four rushing.
"We are still a special group, especially with everyone bringing what they bring to the table," Spears said of the running back group. "Everybody brings a special piece to the table. There is a lot of competitiveness in there, but it is all love in the room. We push each other to get better every day. We can make something really special this year. We are going to be real, real special this year."
Jones provides the Green Wave with dynamic speed and versatility, but his fellow running backs have other skills. Redshirt sophomore Cameron Carroll is a six-foot, 225-pound power runner. He logged 72 carries, 364 yards and four touchdowns in the 2019 season. The Flowood, Mississippi, native registered a career game with two rushing touchdowns at Temple last season.
Senior Stephon Huderson returns for the Green Wave after putting up 575 all-purpose yards, including 291 rushing yards and three touchdowns. The five-foot, nine-inch running back exploded for 100 rushing yards and a 32-yard touchdown catch at home against Tulsa last season. He also returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown against UCF which was the Green Wave's first kickoff return for a touchdown since 2016.
Spears comes back for the 2020 season after redshirting in 2019. In four games played, the Ponchatoula, Louisiana, native totaled 192 rushing yards, 133 receiving and a pair of touchdowns in just four games played last season. He topped out with 89 yards and a touchdown against Missouri State last season.
Redshirt Ygenio Booker will look to build off the 2019 season where he logged 94 yards rushing, 74 yards receiving and two touchdowns.
The Green Wave running backs all want time on the field and they are using that desire to fuel them at every practice this fall.
"Maximize your two hours because we typically practice for like two hours, so if we get better during these two hours, not just at practice, but in meetings, and you take it one day at a time and maximize everything that you are doing then you can grow," Spears said. "There is a lot of uncertainty with the season, but we are focused on one day at a time. We are living in the present; we aren't thinking in the future. We are living in the present trying to build something."
Download the official mobile app of Tulane Athletics. Now, you can stay in touch with the Green Wave anytime and anywhere on your Android or iOS mobile device.
Follow Tulane football on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @GreenWaveFB. Follow Tulane Athletics on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
WE ARE NOLA BUILT
Tulane University is located in the city of New Orleans. It is a city built on tradition and resiliency. The lessons Green Wave student-athletes have learned through their connection with this university and city have BUILT doctors, lawyers, business leaders, conference champions, all-conference players, All-Americans, professional athletes and NCAA tournament teams. The city of New Orleans has shaped us into who we are today. We are One City. We are Tulane. We are NOLA BUILT. Check out our story at NolaBuilt.com.
"We are definitely doing something special," redshirt freshman running back Tyjae Spears said. "There is a lot of energy from the QB room to the running back room to the tight end room to the O-line. We are holding each other accountable, especially with the defense we are going against everyday."
The running backs have a good reason to be excited as they are returning junior Amare Jones who finished last season with 1,611 all-purpose yards, which ranked seventh all-time in program history, fifth in the American Athletic Conference and 22nd nationally. He also scored six total touchdowns, four rushing.
"We are still a special group, especially with everyone bringing what they bring to the table," Spears said of the running back group. "Everybody brings a special piece to the table. There is a lot of competitiveness in there, but it is all love in the room. We push each other to get better every day. We can make something really special this year. We are going to be real, real special this year."
Jones provides the Green Wave with dynamic speed and versatility, but his fellow running backs have other skills. Redshirt sophomore Cameron Carroll is a six-foot, 225-pound power runner. He logged 72 carries, 364 yards and four touchdowns in the 2019 season. The Flowood, Mississippi, native registered a career game with two rushing touchdowns at Temple last season.
Senior Stephon Huderson returns for the Green Wave after putting up 575 all-purpose yards, including 291 rushing yards and three touchdowns. The five-foot, nine-inch running back exploded for 100 rushing yards and a 32-yard touchdown catch at home against Tulsa last season. He also returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown against UCF which was the Green Wave's first kickoff return for a touchdown since 2016.
Spears comes back for the 2020 season after redshirting in 2019. In four games played, the Ponchatoula, Louisiana, native totaled 192 rushing yards, 133 receiving and a pair of touchdowns in just four games played last season. He topped out with 89 yards and a touchdown against Missouri State last season.
Redshirt Ygenio Booker will look to build off the 2019 season where he logged 94 yards rushing, 74 yards receiving and two touchdowns.
The Green Wave running backs all want time on the field and they are using that desire to fuel them at every practice this fall.
"Maximize your two hours because we typically practice for like two hours, so if we get better during these two hours, not just at practice, but in meetings, and you take it one day at a time and maximize everything that you are doing then you can grow," Spears said. "There is a lot of uncertainty with the season, but we are focused on one day at a time. We are living in the present; we aren't thinking in the future. We are living in the present trying to build something."
Download the official mobile app of Tulane Athletics. Now, you can stay in touch with the Green Wave anytime and anywhere on your Android or iOS mobile device.
Follow Tulane football on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @GreenWaveFB. Follow Tulane Athletics on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
WE ARE NOLA BUILT
Tulane University is located in the city of New Orleans. It is a city built on tradition and resiliency. The lessons Green Wave student-athletes have learned through their connection with this university and city have BUILT doctors, lawyers, business leaders, conference champions, all-conference players, All-Americans, professional athletes and NCAA tournament teams. The city of New Orleans has shaped us into who we are today. We are One City. We are Tulane. We are NOLA BUILT. Check out our story at NolaBuilt.com.
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