Junior backs sharing snaps at Bentonville
Posted on Saturday, May 17, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/brog/Sports/60342/
BENTONVILLE — So far, juniorsto-be Shane Boedeker and Ben Nichols have done a good job filling the Bentonville football team’s most glaring hole.
“ Both of them have looked very good (at running back ), ” Tigers coach Barry Lunney said at the midway point of spring practice. “ I have been very pleased with that position. ”
That’s saying a lot since Boedeker and Nichols are following record-setting back Anthony Blackmon, who will play at the University of Central Arkansas next year.
Blackmon finished last season as the state’s second-leading rusher with a school- and 7 A-West Conference record 2, 562 yards. He also had a school- and Class 7 A-record 34 rushing touchdowns.
The big year resulted in a pile of awards — Class 7 A All-State selection, the conference’s Outstanding Back, the Little Rock Touchdown Club’s Class 7 A Player of the Year and The Benton County Daily Record’s Player of the Year — for Blackmon.
But Lunney said Boedeker, who is getting the most first-team snaps, and the other running backs don’t have to try to be the next Blackmon.
“ He’s got to understand he doesn’t have anybody’s shoes to fill, ” Lunney said. “ He’s got to fill his own. What Anthony did was awfully special but
Shane is a different runner. ” Both juniors have speed but Boedeker (5-foot-11, 180 pounds ) can dance through the defense while Nichols (5-11, 175 ) is running tacklers over. They split time on the junior var- sity team and Boedeker got some snaps in varsity games.
Boedeker rushed for 313 yards and 1 touchdown in eight appearances backing up Blackmon. His best game was a 107-yard performance against Springdale.
“ Shane has really worked hard (in the offseason ), ” Lunney said. “ He’s stronger, bigger and more physical.
“ He has the ability to make very good cuts. He sees the field well and his footwork is very good. I like what I see. ”
Nichols worked with the defense at outside linebacker during the offseason but moved to running back when spring ball started.
“ He’s just a hard-nosed player and we have to find a way to get him on the field somewhere, ” Lunney said.
“ Ben is a little bit more power and is a strong runner. (They ) had us excited about what we saw. ”
Rising sophomores Seth Dunn and Chris McKane are working behind Boedeker and Nichols.
Dunn (5-4, 130 ) played for Bentonville Black last year while Chris McKane (5-8, 170 ) was at Bentonville Gold.
The running backs will be working behind a young offensive line.
The Tigers lost five seniors from last year’s line. Rising junior Jon-Mark Holden and senior Anthony Byrd return with some experience.
Lunney said the inexperienced line is coming together during the first week of spring.
“ These guys are quick learners and are picking up things very well, ” he said. “ As a group, they’re very athletic. They move very well. I’m very encouraged. ”
Lunney expects the new players on the line and at running back will be able to hold their own. But he also expects the Tigers won’t be running as much as they did last year.
“ The receivers and quarterback situation is a developing one but I feel pretty good about that, ” Lunney said. “ I really believe we’ll throw the ball more and probably be a little more balanced this year. ”
Bentonville rushed for more than 3, 000 yards and passed for 1, 400 yards on the way to a 9-3 record and a share of the 7 A-West Conference title in 2007.
The Tigers will be in pads all of next week and will likely finish spring practice with a team scrimmage Friday.