USU running game starting to heat up

LOGAN — Slowly but surely, the running game Utah State football coach Brent Guy envisioned when we took over the program two years ago is finally taking shape.

Despite having just six healthy linemen for spring drills, the running game is seeing improvement and that was evidenced in Friday's 26-play scrimmage.

Marcus Cross, a highly touted junior college running back from Garden City Community College, rushed nine times for 59 yards and was able to show bursts of speed around the corners and power up the middle.

"It was pretty obvious today that Marcus Cross can help us in our offense," Guys said. He has the ability to get out in space and make plays and to out run guys around the edge. He jumped out."

Cross, 5-foot-11, 205 pounds, has five runs of seven yards or more with a long of 11 yards on his second carry of the scrimmage.

"I watched a little bit of film before I got up here, and I figured I could be a big spark because the kind of offense they (the coaches) are running is what I have been running nearly all my life," Cross said. "We have some injuries on the offensive line that have brought us down a little bit, but it is starting to pull together towards the end of spring."

Running back Ryan Bohm, who led the team in rushing as a freshman last year, didn't have any snaps. He had ice on his right hip during the entire scrimmage.

The Aggies had just seven healthy linemen for spring last year, and this year they have one less, but Guy is seeing improvement in the players currently available there.

"Although we had three freshmen playing offensive line all day today we are running the zone play better and creating those seams for the running backs," Guy said.

Dustin Zieman was the only other true running back to carry the ball in the scrimmage. He finished with two carries for eight yards, while quarterback Leon Jackson III had two carries for four yards, and one ended in a sack by Alan Bishop.

Jackson completed just 1 of 3 passes for minus-three yards, while Jerrod Walker, who started two games last year, was 0-for-1.

Bryan Black, who didn't play a down last season, was the most effective quarterback. He completed 4 of 6 passes for 26 yards and a touchdown. He engineered a 13-play, 65-yard drive that ended in an 11-yard touchdown pass to tight end Rob Myers.