Stony Brook, N.Y. - With 30 days to go before the season opener at Rhode Island, GoSeawolves.org is excited to introduce the first installment of #SeawolvesSnaps. Today's Roster Rundown looks at the running backs. For season and individual tickets, please call (631) 632-WOLF or CLICK HERE
Outlook
With the graduation of one of the most prolific players in program history, most schools would struggle to replace the production. Not Stony Brook. The two-deep will feature two FBS transfers, a redshirt sophomore and a junior college transfer, three of whom will compete for the No. 2 spot.
Miguel Maysonet '13 rushed for 1,964 yards and 21 touchdowns, becoming the Stony Brook and Big South Conference's all-time leading rusher. Having taken his talent to the NFL, the bulk of the work, according to head coach Chuck Priore, will be given to senior Marcus Coker.
Coker, who transferred from the University of Iowa in January 2012, teamed with Maysonet to feature two 1,000-yard rushers for a program-best third straight year. Coker recorded three 100-yard games, including a season-high 144 against Presbyterian. In the first-round playoff game against Villanova, Coker ran the ball a season-high 29 times, and was instrumental in a 21-play, 98-yard drive that took up a staggering 12:43 time of possession.
"I personally believe he has the ability to handle 25 to 30 carries a game," Priore said. "In the last five games of 2012, I thought he returned to the form he showed at Iowa."
With Coker returning as the No. 1 running back, competing for Coker's back-up in Priore's two-back rotation will be between Jamie Williams, James Kenner and Jameel Poteat.
Despite rushing only 23 times last season, Williams actually led Stony Brook in yards per game (9.9), helped by a 144-yard performance against Pace.
A transfer from ASA College in Brooklyn, Kenner was the Avengers' No. 2 back last season, but still rushed for 676 yards and eight touchdowns in only nine games.
The depth of the position will be bolstered by Poteat. A transfer from the University of Cincinnati, Poteat played in 11 games last year, rushing 34 times for 119 yards and a touchdown. As a prep standout at Bishop McDevitt in Harrisburg, Pa., Poteat was a consensus four-star recruit and top-100 player in the nation, recruited by the likes of USC, Tennessee and Notre Dame before choosing Cincinnati.
Final Thoughts
While Maysonet and Coker shared the majority of carries last season in a 1/1A rotation, the majority of game experience lies with Coker, who will be the featured back. For the next 30 days, the competition between the other three running backs will be exciting.
Stat Stuffers
• Coinciding with its two first playoff apperances, Stony Brook has rushed for 3,475 and 3,582 yards, respectively in 2011 and 2012
• Including his season totals at Iowa, Coker is 976 yards away from 4,000 for his career
• Against Pace last season, Williams recorded two rushes of 41 and 42 yards
• Kenner posted three straight 100-yard games last season at ASA
• Poteat was ranked as the No. 15 running back in the nation as a high school senior
Running Backs at a Glance
Players Yr. Ht. Wt. 2012 Stats
Marcus Coker Sr. 6-0 230 1,018 yards, 9 TDs
Jamie Williams R-So. 5-9 205 228 yards, 5 TDs
James Kenner * Jr. 5-11 205 676 yards, 9 TDs
Jameel Poteat ^ Jr. 5-10 210 119 yards, 1 TD
* at ASA College
