First in a series breaking down the Bears by position.

THE RUNNING BACKS

CONWAY, Ark. _ The University of Central Arkansas' running back room was already bursting at the seams with talent and experience prior to adding a prized pickup in the transfer portal. With that addition, the Bears have perhaps the most loaded corps of running backs in school history.

"It all starts with that running back room," said sixth-year head coach Nathan Brown. "The amount of talent and skill, yardage in general that's back... it's second to none. I haven't researched across the country very thoroughly but I'd have a hard time believing that anyone in the country, at least on our level, has that much production returning in the backfield."

The Bears feature four outstanding returnees, two All-Americans, a Southland Conference Freshman of the Year, an ASUN Conference Co-Offensive Player of the Year, a Walter Payton Award finalist and a runnerup for the Jerry Rice Award.

"You have to start with the two guys who came back in Darius Hale and Kylin James," Brown said of his interchangeable juniors. "Those two are cornerstone pieces for what we've been on offense for the past two seasons. They're both back for Year 3 and I couldn't be happier."

That duo combined for 1,603 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns last season, along with 58 receptions for 900 yards and five more touchdowns.

Hale (5-11, 255) was the SLC Freshman of the Year in 2021 as a true freshman when he ran for 1,015 yards (5.1 per carry) and scored 17 rushing touchdowns (second in the nation). Hale finished as national runnerup for the Jerry Rice Award, which goes to the top FCS freshman, and was named an All-American by several publications. He is just 31 yards short of 2,000 rushing yards for his two-year career and has scored 27 rushing touchdowns.

Hale, from Pearland (Texas) High School, had a 258-yard rushing game against North Alabama in 2022 (13.5 per carry) and a 253-yard outing (11.5 per carry) and four touchdowns against Lamar in 2021

"You talk about Darius Hale and what he's done in the two years he's been here... close to 2,000 yards and a touchdown machine," said Brown. "It's been really an unparalleled run at the running back position since I've been here. He's a big, physical back who's probably going to have a chance to make money playing football one day at the next level. 

"You just continue to see him grow, not just in football but just his maturity. We've seen him really be a sponge since the spring and into the summer. I think he's grown in a lot of aspects of his life. I think he's poised to have as good a year as he's had at any other point in his career."
 

James, a 6-0, 220-pounder from Dumas, Ark., has proven to be one of the most versatile offensive backs in school history. He finished the 2022 season as UCA's No. 2 rusher (649 yards on 95 carries, 6.8 per rush, three touchdowns) and tied for the receiving lead with Jarrod Barnes with 40 receptions for 581 yards and three more scores. James also threw a pair of touchdown passes against Southeast Missouri and Kennesaw State.

"I think a Kylin James is as important as anyone on our offense," Brown said. "Obviously he's a phenomenal running back, but his versatility and his ability to make plays with the ball in his hands. Being able to put him in multiple spots is huge for us. And I don't want to say one person is the key to this offense, but he is definitely the key to our creativity. 

"And I think that creativity is going to be important because we do have a lot of talent on offense and we want to put the ball in the hands of a lot of different guys."

The wild card is North Alabama transfer and Hoxie, Ark., native ShunDerrick Powell (5-9, 180), a finalist for the 2022 Walter Payton Award that goes to the top offensive player in the FCS and the leading rusher in the ASUN with1,508 yards and 18 rushing touchdowns. Powell had at least 100 yards rushing seven times last season and topped the 200-yard mark four times, averaging 137 yards rushing per game. Powell ran for 159 yards and a pair of touchdowns against the Bears.

"And then you add a guy like ShunDerrick Powell," said Brown, "who was co-ASUN Offensive Player of the Year and with his production at North Alabama. And now getting to come back home (to Arkansas) and play in his home state is a big deal. ShunDerrick is a slasher. He's a physical, strong kid but he is a slash-and-dash speed guy. 

"I think what these three guys have bought into is feed off each other. Kylin James does a lot of great things, he's as good an all-purpose back to me as there is in the country. I don't think he gets the respect he truly deserves. And Darius can really do it all. He's a big back who can make all the cuts. He's got speed to break away. He sees something and tries to get better at it and he usually accomplishes it. And ShunDerrick is just an extremely talented running back."

If that trio was not impressive enough, the Bears return two highly talented backs who redshirted a year ago in Isaiah Broadway (Lancaster, Texas) and Travelle Anderson (Gosnell, Ark.).

"I joke all the time about the three guys who get all the headlines in that room, but you should see our fourth, fifth and sixth guys," said Brown. "And I say that not in a joking manner at all. I truly think Isaiah Broadway could start for a lot of teams. I think he's going to play a lot of football for us this year. I think Travelle Anderson is as talented a young running back as any of those guys. He's just behind some talented guys that have some experience. 

"And then we brought in two really, really good freshmen in Landen Chambers from Keller, Texas and Tyrique Newman out of McGehee, Ark. Those two are going to be the future of our program."

Now Brown and veteran offensive coordinator Ken Collums, both former UCA quarterbacks, are tasked with figuring out how to use all that offensive backfield talent on game day.

"If those guys will feed off each other and use each other to their own advantage, they're going to have an amazing year. And we're going to have an amazing year because of that," said Brown. "So that's what I'm excited about watching that room. Coach (Nelson) Gunnell has done a great job recruiting the backs in that room. He's done a great job tutoring them since they got here. 

"It's a unique situation we're in to have the talent we have in that room."