Eastern has three really great running backs this year.

Red-shirt junior Jake Walker and red-shirt freshmen AJ Woodson and Jimmy Lera all provide the Panthers with their own specialized skills.

Walker has the ability to break tackles, while Woodson is diminutive enough to elude defenses and pick up big yards.

Lera, who gets the least touches out of the three, still manages to show flashes of his ability to break big gains in the open field.

Walker is currently the starter, but I believe the starting role should go to Woodson.

I understand the coaching staff’s motives in starting Walker. He’s bigger and more experienced, but his ankle injury still seems to bother him.

From what I’ve seen, Walker just can’t seem to break through the line.

When a play gets called for him to run outside, he seems to be in better shape, but Walker can’t quite seem to get between the tackles more often than not.

Walker’s injury, though a setback for the Eastern offense, showed how bright of a future the Panthers’ have at running back.

Head coach Bob Spoo and the other coaches have all said before when it comes to injuries that it will be up to the next guy to step up and fill his shoes, something Woodson did rather well in his time as the starter.

Woodson has a running style that reminds me of Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson. Due to his size, he’s not going to break a lot of tackles or bowl over anybody, but his speed and agility make him tough for any defender to bring down if, or when, they can get their hands on him.

At only 5’8″, Woodson is one of the smallest guys on the team, but big things come in small packages. His stature makes him low enough to elude and evade tacklers and his speed makes him a threat once he’s able to break free. Woodson is the type of back that the Panthers can consistently rely on for six or seven yards on first down. After Woodson sets up second and short or third and short situations, that’s when the Panthers can go to their bigger back, Walker, to power through for the first down and keep the drive alive.

All in all, if Woodson can stay healthy and not catch the injury bug that’s plagued the Panther offense so far this season, he’ll be great for years to come. Hopefully come Saturday, he’ll see a few more touches and he’ll be able to put a few more points on the board for the Panthers and another notch in the win column.

Dominic Renzetti can be reached at 581-7942 or dcrenzetti@eiu.edu.