JMU Back With Another Deep Running Back Room

Jul 18, 2023
For the first time since 2017, Percy Agyei-Obese isn't on the James Madison roster, but the Dukes' running back room is still one of the deepest parts of the team heading into fall camp.
The group is veteran-laden but has promising young talent that has shined when given the opportunity on the field.
Position Outlook
Departing Players: Percy Agyei-Obese (graduation)
Returning Players: Solomon Vanhorse (redshirt senior), Latrele Palmer (senior), Sammy Malignaggi (junior), Peyton Rutherford (junior), Kaelon Black (redshirt sophomore), Kalin Jean (redshirt sophomore), Wayne Knight (sophomore)
Additions: Ty Son Lawton (Stony Brook transfer, redshirt senior), Ke'Marion Baldwin (freshman)
What We Know
The Dukes are deep at running back.
After the 2021 season, where JMU lost Agyei-Obese and Black to season-ending injuries, the Dukes enjoyed a 2022 campaign with quality depth in the backfield.
It looks to be the same this season, even though Agyei-Obese is out of eligibility. His production was replaced by Stony Brook transfer Ty Son Lawton, who rushed for 2,102 yards and 21 touchdowns on 457 carries in five seasons with the Seawolves.
In addition to the veteran transfer portal pickup, Black and Palmer are back on a mission. So is Vanhorse, who had his season cut short at Arkansas State through the first three games.
Vanhorse had recorded six receptions for 86 yards and a touchdown in the games he appeared in before he ended up in crutches against the Red Wolves.
The Alpharetta, Ga., native has been JMU's top receiving back, and when he went down with an injury, that opened up playing time for then-freshman Wayne Knight, who saw the field in limited action in the backfield and the return game.
Knight logged five receptions for 63 yards in eight games for the Dukes last fall, including a 32-yard catch at Old Dominion. His rushing attack didn't succeed, with five attempts for -8 yards.
The Smyrna, Del., native proved to be an option at kick return, though and averaged 21.8 yards per attempt in four tries with a 35-yard long.
Malignaggi was another option at kick return with six attempts for 130 yards — an average of 21.7 yards per return — while the Dukes were without Vanhorse.
What We Don't
How will JMU share the workload between Black, Palmer, and Lawton? That's the biggest question about the Dukes' backfield heading into the 2023 season — and it's not a bad problem.
Agyei-Obese was the Dukes' workhorse last fall as he logged 330 snaps on offense en route to 908 rushing yards with eight touchdowns on the ground. Palmer was second with 256 snaps, but his run in the backfield diminished in the final four games as Black received a bulk of those plays down the stretch.
During the final four weeks of last season, Palmer played just 43 snaps — 97 yards and a touchdown — and Black logged 87 yards and a score in the final three games as JMU's No. 2 running back once he was fully healthy.
Palmer rushed for 398 yards and five touchdowns last fall, while Black racked up 333 rushing yards and three touchdowns to help the Dukes' ground attack. Black also recorded 177 receiving yards with two touchdowns, and Palmer added 47 yards through the air.
In the spring game, the first game-like situation the Dukes played publicly with the current stable of running backs, JMU was without Black, who was sidelined as a precaution as he returned from injury.
During the annual event, Lawton stole the show with six carries for 43 yards — good for 7.2 yards per rush. His first attempt ended in a 21-yard gain before he broke off a 12-yard scamper on his second rush — the two longest carries of the two-quarter exhibition.
"He brings more competition," head coach Curt Cignetti said of Lawton in mid-April. "He's a big, fast guy that takes it downhill. He led the CAA in rushing. He's fast too."
Palmer rushed four times for nine yards and a touchdown in the spring game, while Vanhorse added 13 yards on five carries. Malignaggi added the only other touchdown by a JMU running back with a 2-yard plunge — he finished with three carries for 10 yards and the score.
JMU's running back room is crowded, but as the Dukes dealt with a similar scenario last fall, the purple and gold will most likely rotate the backs through in the early part of the game to find who has the hot hand. After that, they'll most likely go with who's running the best that day.
The 'X' Factor
Heading into spring practice, it was expected that Black would have a likely opportunity to become JMU's workhorse tailback after Agyei-Obese departed.
But as it continued, Lawton was determined to show that he had what it takes to be the Dukes' No. 1 running back on the depth chart.
After a five-year career at Stony Brook, which included 108 rushing yards and three touchdowns against JMU in 2019, Lawton wanted to prove himself.
"It's cool being the guy, but it's cool being able to work for it, too," Lawton said. "This is my sixth year, but I wanted to know if I still had it. I didn't want to come in and get spoon fed. I like the challenge."
The Staten Island, N.Y., native got his wish of a challenge to compete for the starting spot by transferring to JMU. He could spend two years at JMU if he receives a waiver approved after playing in three games last fall.
But for now, Lawton is set on making an impact this fall.
And he is in a prime position to do so.