Nevada goes into season with crowded backfield

Last year Nevada showed why coaches at every level stress the importance of building depth. After losing All-Western Athletic Conference running back Luke Lippincott in the second week of the season, it looked the Wolf Pack's chances of reaching a fourth-consecutive bowl game were torn along with the fifth-year senior's knee.

Enter Vai Taua.

The 5-foot-10, 220-pounder was once a an ex-Wolf Pack player, but returned last year to lead the team in rushing with 1,521 yards. He was also a big reason Nevada went on to the Roady's Humanitarian Bowl.

Now, after going through a year where the running back picture wasn't clear, Nevada has one of the most crowded backfields in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

"Besides just me and Luke, there are guys that can step and play, that could very well be starters too," Taua said.

The running back position is so crowded that the official depth chart for Nevada's season-opening game Saturday at Notre Dame lists the position in the following order: Taua, Lippincott or Mike Ball (redshirt freshman) or Mark Lampford (sophomore). But that is only half of the available crop and leaves off Brandon Fragger, who if it weren't for a string injuries in his previous three years, could be in the same conversation as Taua and Lippincott for the starting job.

The log jam began during the offseason when the NCAA granted Lippincott a sixth year of eligibility due to medical hardship. Lippincott led the WAC in yards per game in 2008 with 109.2 and will likely add an extra element to the run-first Pistol offense.

"It was kind of a weird situation putting my career on pause and then not knowing if was going to be able to play again," Lippincott said. "It kind of hit me hard, but I just paid my dues and did everything that I could do. I just hit the weight room hard, did everything our trainer told me to do...

"As soon as I got that call, it just kind of took the weight off my shoulders."

Lippincott said he weighed other options like graduate school and baseball, but instead Nevada coach Chris Ault will be weighing his options with a bevy of capable runners.

"Luke is an athlete, there is no question about it," Ault said. "Whether he lines up as tight end, guard, defensive back he's going to find a way. I'm excited to have him back. Forget football, what know what he does on the football field. You hit it on the head with that leadership. If there attitudes aren't where they should be, he's going to stand up and hold them accountable.

"Leadership is really important. So Luke is a guy that we feel we can lean on for his team management skills."

Ault added that Lippincott would likely be used at tight end and could see some passes out of the backfield.

Taua shined in Lippincott's absence as he put up the fourth-best rushing total in Wolf Pack history. What makes the number even bigger is that Taua was listed as the fourth running back on the depth chart to begin the year and spent four games away from the team in 2007 after complaining, ironically, that he didn't get enough playing time.

The running back talent will be spread out even more as both Lippincott and Taua have already embraced rolls on special teams.

"I'm excited," Taua said. "For me, my special team job is punt return. I know they put a couple guys on kick return and we're pretty much spread out...

"To be honest, I've never returned a punt."

Lippincott will play on both the punt return and punt coverage teams.

Additionally, Ault will look to get Ball in the mix at some point. Ball was rated in the Top 25 among running backs nationally by rivals.com

"We will be doing different things during the course of the year to utilize their talents," Ault said. "It won't just be handing the ball to Luke and Vai."

With all the talent in one position, Nevada will be hard pressed to make everyone happy. But for Lippincott, he's just happy to be back on the field.

"I just want to make plays," he said. "I don't know if I'm going to get as many carries as I want, but I know I'll get the ball and I'll get a chance to make plays and help the team out."