Here's the first of our five part series on the 2019 Georgetown Hoyas.
No position has typified the two decades Georgetown has wandered in the Patriot League wilderness quite like running backs. With few exceptions, PL teams have feasted in the Georgetown ground game, as much to its offensive line as to the lack of significant talent GU has been able to recruit. Absent the now-puzzling pick of Charlie Houghton as PL Rookie of the Year in 2006, the running game at Georgetown remains a long running deficiency.
In his second year as offensive coordinator, Rob Spence figures to double-down on the passing game--after all, it's where he earned his fame as the offensive coordinator at Clemson.Spence needs a credible running game however, something GU did not enjoy in 2018. The Hoyas finished the season ranked 114th nationally in rushing offense, with just under 94 yards a game. The only thing that prevented this from being a season-killer is that Bucknell and Fordham fared even worse.
Georgetown returns its top three rushers from 2018 but, in a sign of its emphasis on the pass, signed just one freshman in the position and will carry only five backs this season.
Herman Moultrie was the leading gainer for 2018, though a total of 358 yards is the fewest yards by a running back to lead the team in this category since Philip Oladeji in the winless 2009 season. Nearly 40 percent of his total came in one game, a 135 yard effort against Bucknell with thee runs totaling 80 yards. At 185 pounds, Moultrie can struggle opening up holes, and needs a stronger line to support him in the trenches. He is s solid option in short yardage situations and his 4.2 yards per carry was a team high among the regular starters.
Similar in size to Mountrie, junior Jay Tolliver rushed for 170 yards on the season (17.0/game) but was an effective dump-off option on screen passes, catching 12 passes for 145 yards. Tolliver's season high in carries was just 15 yards, and he will not drive the ground game as a result. The only real option to do so comes with a price. Joshua Tomas has exhibited the speed to be a real threat in the lineup, but more as a wideout than a pure running back. It's likely that Tomas would be an injury target if he was continually battered in the backfield. Going to Tomas in the backfield risks him for duty in punt and kick returns, where he excels, and doesn't change the calculus on Georgetown's emphasis on passing.Seeing Tomas beaten up in the backfield isn't a good long term option, however tempting it would be against teams with intermittent defensive lines.
One option could be junior Jackson Saffold. The 220 lb. back is a bigger option than the 185 lb. Moultrie or Tolliver, and Saffold's two touchdowns in the Lehigh game proved the margin from which Georgetown was able to get the upset. He needs more time in the backfield, but one back sets to focus on passing can't always be split among three (or four) options. Absent a true fullback (and no, Patriot League, tight end Isaac Schley doesn't count), Saffold needs a good start in games to gain momentum and get the carries needed to make a difference.
Senior Zac Saltzman has rushed five times in three years and likely won't see much duty in 2019 in the backfield, although he could be an option on special teams. Freshman Joshua Stakely was not heavily recruited but has some good outside speed which will likely take a season to develop at the college level.
In some ways, this a position (along with offensive line) where the lack of scholarships is among the most evident. Georgetown must rely on smaller backs that wear out in the Division I ground game, and GU lacks the recruiting depth to present a serious offensive option. The Hoyas remain reliant on "all-county" rather than "all-state" talent who could really make a difference at its level of competition.
Georgetown may also be the only I-AA/FCS team--dare we say it, anywhere--that carries more quarterbacks on its active roster (seven) than running backs (five). No more than three would be expected to be seen in 2019.
In his senior season, Gunther Johnson returns as the favorite. Having taken over for Clay Norris midway in the 2017 season, Johnson has all the tools to succeed at this level but often was held back by defensive pressure and/or the game plan. Johnson has finished sixth of seven in PL quarterback statistics each of the past two seasons and averages a tepid 143 yards per game in the air and about 11 yards per pass. A mobile QB, Johnson will often scramble rather than sit in the pocket, and the degree to which the Spence offense can give Johnson a legitimate opportunity to take the time to find better options downfield will tell a lot about this season.
Sophomore Lorenzo Linsey saw spot time in 2018 and struggled in limited action. Potentially, he could be a third down wildcat option, something the Hoyas have done rarely over the years and with little success.
The most likely competitor for Johnson's starting role could be junior Joe Brunell, who sat out the entire 2018 season with an injury. Having seen no game action as a freshmen, it's difficulty to predict how Brunell would adjust to the college game, but 2019 needs to be the year he makes the case as Johnson's successor. Georgetown signed three freshman quarterbacks and while neither Tyler Knoop, Martin Butcher, or Pierce Holley are likely to see time in 2019, it's a sign that Georgetown is planning for the future.
All three have some intriguing options. Knoop was a standout at Ft. Worth Christian, throwing for 45 touchdowns, Butcher broke the school passing record at New Orleans Newman once held by Peyton Manning, while Holley is a QB in the Gunther Johnson mold, earning honorable mention All-State honors at the Colorado 5A level. The two first teamers above him on the list were signed by Nebraska and Iowa, respectively.
Sophomore backup Jack Elliott completes the seven man depth chart for the Hoyas.
Coming next week: receivers and the offensive line.
