Georgia Southern's triple option attack puts a lot of weight on the B-Back. Sophomore Robert Brown is out in front for now, but with an impressive pull on signing day and some key transfers, there is loads of depth behind him.
Starter - SO Robert Brown - Entering his true sophomore year, Robert Brown comes in as the only B-Back on the roster with any real game experience. He missed some time in 2010 with injuries, but still amassed a 1000-yard season on 4.7 yards per carry. Most of Brown's issues came from not being able to hold on to the ball, but nagging injuries to his wrist and thumb may explain some of his fumbles. His carries will be spread around a bit more this season, but Brown should still be the man to beat going into the Spring.
Backups - SR Zeke Rozier/SO Martez Eastland - After Brown, things become less clear. Redshirt Senior Zeke Rozier missed the entire 2010 season after an ACL tear in the Spring, saw limited carries in 2009 and 2008 in Chris Hatcher's pass-first offense, and tore his ACL early in the 2007 season. He was a dominant Wing-T RB in high school, but it has been nearly five years since he last carried the ball more than 5 or 6 times per game.
Transfer Martez Eastland was heavily recruited by Georgia Southern last year, but chose Ole Miss after a late offer. He only carried the ball once for -2 yards in 2010, but like Rozier, was a dominant option-style running back in high school. At last report, Coach Monken is bringing him in as a walk-on with a chance to earn a scholarship, so he should be motivated to work hard and produce early.
Additional Depth - SR Brent Thomas and RS Freshman Aaron Fisher bring added depth to the position, while new signees Zay Sharp, Tre'Shard Burdette, and Dominique Swope are likely to take redshirts. With the numbers that the Eagles have right now, I would be surprised if any of the new commits DON'T redshirt, but there is a lot of talent in the new class that may be hard for the coaches to keep off the field.
Oh and there is still that Washaun Ealey rumor. IF he transfers in, and IF he keeps his head on straight, he should push Brown for the starting job.