Talent runs deep for Grizzly running backs

This year has been a game of musical chairs at the running back position for the University of Montana football team, and this past Saturday the Griz found another gem tucked away in their depth chart.

Before the season even started, the Griz lost their star running back, senior Lex Hilliard, to an Achilles tendon injury that has sidelined him the entire 2006 season.

“It’s been tougher than any other year that I’ve seen since I’ve been here,” said running backs coach Luther Carr, who is in his fourth year with the Griz.

That still hasn’t stopped the Griz from leading the Big Sky Conference in rushing with 138.8 yards a game. The Griz have been led by transfer Reggie Bradshaw and senior Brady Green, who have combined for 961 yards and 16 touchdowns.

But with Green out with an injury this past Saturday against Northern Colorado, it was up to yet another Griz running back to step up to the music, and that was redshirt freshman Thomas Brooks-Fletcher, who had only eight career carries coming into the game.

He ended up running for 100 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries in Montana’s 53-21 win over the Bears to become the fourth different Grizzly to lead the team in rushing.

The game was especially meaningful to Brooks-Fletcher considering he missed all of last year with an ACL injury to his left knee.

“After all the rehab and all the tired days and just being worn down, it paid off,” said Brooks-Fletcher.

Some of the fans might have been surprised to see him come off the bench and hit the century mark running the ball, but the Griz expect that out of their players, Carr said.

“I knew he was going to have a good game,” Carr said. “All the running backs here can run the ball – all of them. You put them in the game, they are going to be productive.”

With all the injuries to the running back position, it could have been easy for Montana to just sit back and pass the ball considering all the weapons they have in the passing game, but Montana’s commitment to running the football shows the importance of a strong rushing attack.

“I think you start an offense with controlling the line of scrimmage and being able to run the ball,” Green said. “You have the ability to control the clock and to keep an opponent’s offense off the field by being able to consistently run the ball.”

Green said he should be ready to go this Saturday against Montana State, but Griz fans haven’t seen the last of Brooks-Fletcher.

“He’s only going to get better,” Carr said. “The knee’s only going to get stronger. He’s only a freshman, so the days ahead of him are only going to be brighter.”

Brooks-Fletcher said his recent success is only going to push him harder when the season is over.

“It’s going to help me out a lot because now I know that I can play at this level and I know how it feels to be successful,” he said. “It’s just going to make me up my game even more.”