Sophomore Norris Smith and junior Travorus Bess could provide the best one-two punch at running back in the Ohio Valley Conference next season.

Smith, ran hard between the tackles and the 5-foot-8 Bess was elusive in the Panthers’ second scrimmage of spring practices on Saturday at O’Brien Stadium.

During goal line scenarios at the end of the scrimmage, Smith punched in three straight touchdowns.

“You have to smell the end zone,” Smith said. “When you get close to that goal line you have to score points.”

New offensive coordinator Jorge Munoz might have to look to his two talented backs to start the season if starting quarterback Cole Stinson’s surgery does not go according to plan.

Head coach Bob Spoo said Stinson, who has still be practicing with the team, will undergo surgery to deal with pain the senior has been dealing with in his hip and groin.

“Our last day of spring practice is Wednesday and he’s scheduled for surgery on Thursday,” Spoo said.

Spoo did not say what specific type of surgery Stinson will undergo.

While the running game looked solid, as a whole the offense could not mimic that success in full field scrimmaging.

“I don’t think the offense really looked strong on the field,” said Spoo, who is back for his 20th season at Eastern. “But once we brought the ball down to the goal line they were able to move the ball and establish some control.”

The offense played without junior wide receiver Micah Rucker, whose injured left knee has kept him out the majority of spring ball.

Rucker watched from the sidelines and saw much improvement from the young Eastern wide receiving corps but thinks the Panthers need to improve in one aspect.

“The one thing that has been lacking is consistency,” Rucker said. “We’ll catch three or four balls in a row then drop an easy one.”

Sophomore wide receiver Alicus Nozinor stepped up to replace Rucker.

Spoo said he has been pleased with Nozinor’s play this spring after academic issues forced him to miss last season.

The offensive line struggled against the defensive line, giving up a pair of sacks and tackles for loss, but that is to be expected from a group featuring three new starters and playing without junior tackle Anthony Rubican, who was dealing with family issues at home in Schaumburg.

“We’re getting a lot of young guys reps,” said the new hired offensive line coach Jeff Hoover. “We are still getting to know each other but guys are starting to settle into where they are going to play.”

Hoover said returning starters Rubican and junior Drew Cairo-Gross have played well but redshirt freshmen Chaz Millard and Will Norris have impressed him this spring.

On the defensive side of the ball, junior middle linebacker Donald Thomas participated in the second scrimmage despite a broken left thumb.

The Panthers will have one more practice before closing out the spring season with their final scrimmage at 4 p.m. Wednesday at O’Brien Stadium.

Sophomore running back Norris Smith runs past defensive tackle, freshman Andre Lima during Saturday mornings intra-squad scrimmage at O’Brien Stadium. (John Bailey/The Daily Eastern News)

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