COLUMN: Trio of backs give offense versatility

From Andy Meran's "Meran's Law," Fall '95 Gone is Terrance Stokes, a workhorse in every sense of the word. The graduated all-Ivy star carried the pigskin 243 times last year for a whopping 1,052 yards. Jasen Scott, Aman Abye and Dion Camp amassed a combined 399 yards a season ago on 96 carries. Not bad numbers, but what remains to be seen is if one of these three will emerge to be the preeminent back Stokes was. The highlight of Stokes' career was his performance in a pivotal Nov. 6, 1993 battle of unbeatens at Franklin Field. When everyone expected Princeton's Keith Elias, now with the New York Giants, to be the star, Stokes took center stage. While Elias was held to a measly 59 yards, Stokes carved his way through Tigers defenders. When the clock ticked down, the Quakers remained undefeated and in first place in large part due to Stokes' unbelievable effort. The Penn standout carried the ball 42 times for 272 yards. While everybody remembers the number of yards Stokes racked up, the number of times he ran the ball truly tells the story. I repeat: 42 times. Last Saturday against Dartmouth, the new trio carried the ball 34 times. Without Stokes the passing game now carries the offense, but don't dismiss the importance of a ground game. While it appears likely neither Abye, Scott or Camp will emerge anytime soon as the clear No. 1 back, that may not be a bad thing. If the Dartmouth game is any indication, the backfield rotation will be a balanced one. Scott ran the ball 12 times, while Abye and Camp each had 11 carries. Scott was the most impressive of the three, bulling his way for 63 yards. Abye and Camp gained 30 and 31 yards respectively. All in all, not a bad debut for the new backfield. This three-back system has its advantages. Utilizing each back equally, all of the runners should be able to get plenty of rest. When the fourth quarter of this year's Princeton game rolls around, the Quakers should have the luxury of shuffling in a fresh back to take on a tired Tigers defense. No one person is going to run the ball 42 times, but if the unit continues to improve there is no reason why Penn can't gain 272 yards on the ground. With the improved passing game, the Quakers can still win without such an impressive running performance, especially since opposing defenses will be geared to stop the Quakers' passing attack. Whereas teams used to focus primarily on stopping Stokes, DeRosa and Macik now haunt defensive coordinators around the league. This should ease the burden on the running game and give the three different backs, with their three different styles, room to run. The best running offenses around the country rely heavily on featured backs. Warrick Dunn carries the load for high-powered Florida State. Tshimanga Biakabutuka is the workhorse for Michigan. And Stephen Davis runs the show at Auburn. But this is the Ivy League, so anything goes. If Scott continues to have the kind of success he did last weekend, he may be the one to step up. Whatever the case, the competition for playing time between Camp, Abye and Scott should make all of the backs better. So even if no individual puts up Stokes-like numbers, the threesome may be just as effective in the end.