HANOVER – Dartmouth’s 2025 rushing leader might be on the top line of the depth chart at FBS South Florida for the Bulls’ opener against Florida International in another week, but even without DJ Crowther, Big Green coach Sammy McCorkle likes what he has in his running back room.
It starts with 5-foot-10, 200-pound sophomore Myles Craddock, who gave an indication of what’s to come with 12 rushes for 46 yards and his first collegiate touchdown in last year’s finale at Brown. Craddock finished the season with 72 yards on the ground.
“He’s special,” McCorkle said after Tuesday morning’s practice on Memorial Field. “He has that ‘it’ factor, something you can’t teach. He’s a hard worker, a smart, dynamic football player with great vision.
“We tell our line they don’t have to create these big holes. Just cover somebody up, give us a little hole and our running backs are talented enough they’ll find them, and hit them. Miles is a great example of that.”
Through the first four practices, a trio of upperclass backs have flashed, and the lone freshman in the room also has shown promise.
Colin O’Garro and Chris Roper are the senior running backs. Both have patiently waited their turn behind Crowther and the graduated Desmin Jackson (48 carries for 169 yards last fall). The 6-0, 205 O’Garro carried two times for nine yards a year ago, and the 5-9, 205 Roper, who did not have a carry last fall, ran twice for nine yards as a sophomore.
“Those guys have come back ready to play,” said McCorkle. “O’Garo put a lot of effort and focus into his offseason. He’s leaner but stronger and is having a great preseason.
“Roper, he just keeps plugging away. He had a good spring and he’s showing progress every single day. He’s locked in and understands what we are doing.”
Dylan Elder, a 5-10, 195 junior, carried seven times for 48 yards a year ago and should factor in again.
Craddock is joined in the sophomore class by 5-11, 195 Immanuel Johnson, who drew raves from McCorkle.
“Manny is such a hard worker,” the coach said. “You never have to question his effort or his attitude. He had another good day today. You can tell he's really worked on understanding his flexibility. His hips are better and he's starting to show that with his jump cuts and everything else.”
The final back is Jacob Henry, a 5-11, 190-pound freshman from North Little Rock, Ark., who is “starting to figure it out,” according to his coach.
“He’s a first-year guy and is feeling his way through it,” the coach said. “A lot of things are coming at him fast but you could see today it slowed down for him a little bit. We want him to just run and not overthink it and he started to do that today. He’s going to be a good one.”
The running back room is under the direction of first-year coach Ben Wilkerson, who was on staff at Fordham the past three years.
“He’s doing a good job with the running backs, and they are making good progress,” said McCorkle. “I like what I’m seeing in the group.”
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FIRST STADIUM PRACTICE
With fog and a heavy dew making Blackman Field slippery at 6:15 a.m., McCorkle brought the team into Buddy Teevens Stadium for the first time this preseason. He gave the session a passing grade, but would like to have seen more, at least at the outset.
“I think the guys kind of thought about how early it was too much,” he said. “They’ve got to come out here ready to go. I think some of the guys were ready to roll, but for a lot of the young and less experienced guys, the focus wasn’t what we want it to be at the start.
“We started picking it up toward the middle of practice, but we need that from the start. I say it all the time. You’ve got to treat it like a game. You can’t come out slow. You’ve got to come out ready and get out the gate fast. The good thing is we got better as the day wore on.”
With the three-days-on, one-day-off format, this was the first practice after an off day, and in the final analysis, McCorkle felt the players handled it well.
“Obviously, we had media day and all that yesterday, which was a chance to get some rest and their feet back under ‘em,” he said. “Once they got going, you could see they were a little fresher.”
And while it will never be confused with the kind of practices that used to punctuate camp, the physicality was definitely turned up a notch. More than one time, a passerby who was not aware Dartmouth doesn’t tackle in practice would have thought they did.
“It was more physical and you want that,” McCorkle said. “But I thought the guys took care of each other. We’ll continue to slowly amp it up the next couple of practices.”
NOTICE ANYONE, COACH?
“(Receiver) Nick Lemon stood out again. He showed a good burst and had a real nice play. … Craddock had a good day, and Manny a nice vertical run.
“Defensively, Joshua Johnson was in the backfield again. Colter Vela did a good job on the hash coming downhill. He’s one of those guys that’s always going to be in the right place. He’s fundamentally sound, and he plays with good energy.”
MAKING PLAYS
Plays, players, and notable goings-on that earned a notation in one onlooker's notebook Tuesday included a scout from the Green Bay Packers on the sideline all game to get a look at safety Harrison Keith … Gavin King and Jackson Ashford coming free in an early drill and chasing a quarterback out of bounds for a loss … Grayson Saunier hitting James Elliott on the left sideline in stride during team period. … Noah Trigeuros matching that throw with one on the run to Cam Bates on the right sideline … Blake Betette holding his block on the end to help a back get extra yards … Jacob Henry exploding through the line and, although he might have been tagged, running 50 yards to the goal line while his offensive teammates roared.
During 7-on-7, Cameron Best-Alston and the ball arriving at a wide receiver at the same time and the D-back wisely pulling up … seconds later Best-Alston being hugged by defensive backs coach Kevin Bracken after a breakup … Johnny Riley alertly being Johnny-on-the-spot for a dump-off … Nick Lemon showing great focus catching a ball tipped by a defender.
In the final team period, Chris Chol bouncing a running back to the ground … Colter Vela holding his ground and taking on a running back head-on … Vela seconds later with a pass breakup … James Elliott cutting sharply enough that the D-back covering him lost his feet, allowing an easy pitch-and-catch on the sideline … Saunier again leading a receiver, this time Elliott, on a pass down the sideline … Lou Lamar with a breakup deep down the field.
ON TAP
Practice five is scheduled for Thursday at 8:45 on Blackman Fields, but early morning sessions can be shifted because of rain or a wet surface.