The battle for the Colts’ backup running back role behind Jonathan Taylor was thought to be one of the more intriguing training camp competitions that was going to take place. However, only five practices in, there is already a clear front-runner for those snaps in Trey Sermon.
“The guys are getting a ton of different opportunities to do a ton of different things,” said offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter after Wednesday’s practice. “Super excited to have the pads on now because we’re finding that out a little bit.
“Those guys are having to run through contact, really attack a hole, or attack and read, where they’re reading the linebacker, they’re reading the defensive lineman, and they’re making that cut with some pads on and we’re sort of seeing who can make that cut, who can find those creases, and who can’t. So, we’re learning a ton.”
According to James Boyd of The Athleic, he wrote recently that Sermon appears to have “solidified” himself as the backup running back. Boyd added that Sermon has taken the bulk of the running back snaps with the second offense and has been seeing some opportunities with the starters as well when Taylor needs a rest.
This news doesn’t necessarily come as a shock either, given that after minicamp, Stephen Holder, who covers the Colts for ESPN, named Sermon as one of his surprise performers from those practices.
Although Sermon doesn’t have an abundance of carries in his career, he is the more experience player relative to Evan Hull and Tyler Goodson, who he is competing with. That experience shows through with Sermon’s reliability in getting the ball to the “right place,” as Cooter put, on a regular basis.
Sermon brings an added physical running style to the position, averaging 4.6 yards per carry on 35 attempts in 2023, along with averaging nearly 3.0 yards after contact.
Of course, there is a certain prerequisite that each of these players has to have as a ball carrier if they’re going to be relied upon on Sundays. However, two other important elements for these players is their ability to help out in the passing game, whether that be as a pass-catcher or a pass-blocker.
“As we go through camps, they’ll have a ton of opportunities to–you’ll see one-on-one pass routes,” added Cooter. “You’ll see one-on-one blitz pickup versus the linebackers. Those are going to play a big role for us evaluating those guys as well.”
Early signs are certainly pointing to Sermon being the first option after Taylor, which provide plenty of opportunities for him throughout the season, as the need for teams to have two capable running backs in today’s NFL is paramount.
However, while things can certainly change, if we assume Sermons can hang on to that backup role, there still could be some snaps available for Hull or Goodson to carve out some playing time this season, specifically in the passing game.
Earlier this offseason, Cooter complemented Goodson on his ability to get open as a pass catcher, while Hull was a major factor in the Northwestern passing game while in college, totaling over 100 targets his final two seasons.
“So right now, hey, it’s a bunch of really hungry, eager guys that are fighting for every rep, man,” Cooter said. “They want every rep Coach DeAndre Smith can throw them in on, to make the most of it, and we’re watching, we’re evaluating every rep to see who can help us.”