2026 RB Preview

[catdaddyp]

In what is one of the more unusual developments during the transfer portal era, every scholarship running back has returned for 2026.

 

 

The Room:

J. Gant became the first back to eclipse 1,000 rushing yards in a season during the Moorhead era. Gant isn’t the biggest or most explosive runner — in fact, his longest carry of the year was only 36 yards — but he is excellent in other areas. He has a subtle shiftiness when hitting the hole that consistently makes defenders miss. Just as importantly, he has an excellent feel for tempo: knowing when to gear down, when to accelerate, and when to simply lower his shoulder to grind out extra yards. There were countless runs in 2025 that looked destined to lose yardage, only for Gant to somehow turn them into positive gains or at least get back to the line of scrimmage. His strong season earned him 2nd Team All-MAC honors.

 

S. Patrick actually opened 2025 as the starter for the first four games before an injury sidelined him for several weeks. When he returned, he never quite looked fully back to form, and combined with Gant’s emergence, his opportunities became more limited. Still, Patrick remains the most explosive running back on the roster and seems primed for a breakout season if he can stay healthy. The combination of Gant’s consistency and Patrick’s big-play ability gives the Zips one of the better backfield duos in the MAC.

 

M. Williams arrived in the 2024 class as a transfer from Minnesota. I still haven’t seen the level of explosiveness one would typically expect from a former Power Four transfer, but he’s proven to be an adequate option when called upon.

 

C. Gee led Colgate in rushing in 2024 with over 400 yards while averaging 5.5 yards per carry. He brings a little more size than Akron’s top two backs and could carve out a role in the offense if he can stay healthy.

 

T. Curry is the biggest running back on the roster. He hasn’t produced much during stops at UAB, ULM, or Akron, but he at least provides experienced depth and has the frame to step in if injuries start piling up.

 

 

Outlook:

This is the deepest running back room of the Moorhead era, and it’s unlikely Gant will put up the same volume of yards he did a season ago with the expected emergence of Patrick. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, though. Akron finally has multiple backs capable of carrying the load and bringing different skill sets to the offense. With the combination of Gant’s consistency, Patrick’s explosiveness, and solid depth behind them, the Zips’ rushing attack should be able to improve upon last year’s numbers.

 

 

Returning:

Curry (R. Sr.)

Gant (R. Sr.)

Gee (R. Jr.)

Williams (R. Jr.)

Patrick (R. So.)

 

Edited 9 minutes ago by catdaddyp