Devils in Detail
Fansided

ASU Football: Eno Benjamin carries tailback torch heading into 2018

By Sam Ficarro

PASADENA, CA - NOVEMBER 11: Eno Benjamin #3 of the Arizona State Sun Devils runs past Kenny Young #42 and Octavius Spencer #18 of the UCLA Bruins during the first half of a game at the Rose Bowl on November 11, 2017 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CA - NOVEMBER 11: Eno Benjamin #3 of the Arizona State Sun Devils runs past Kenny Young #42 and Octavius Spencer #18 of the UCLA Bruins during the first half of a game at the Rose Bowl on November 11, 2017 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Kalen Ballage and Demario Richard have both graduated and gone on to the next level as Eno Benjamin will lead the new stable of ASU football running backs.

Arizona State heads in to the 2018 season with news faces in the backfield after the graduations of Kalen Ballage and Demario Richard.

Ballage and Richard were two of the most productive running backs in ASU history combining for 5,182 rushing yards, 1,346 receiving yards and 65 touchdowns.

That’s a lot of production lost to replace in one year but fortunately for head coach Herm Edwards and offensive coordinator Rob Likens, running back is one of the deepest positions on the roster.

Eno Benjamin will be the man tasked to lead the rushing attack into the next era. The sophomore tailback played in 10 games last season recording 23 carries for 142 yards and one touchdown.

Benjamin’s best performance came against Colorado on Nov. 4 when he rushed for 52 yards and a touchdown in a 41-30 win over the Buffaloes.

Behind Benjamin, ASU has talent but they’re a largely unproven group.

Trelon Smith and Isaiah Floyd are the other two sophomore running backs with freshmen A.J. Carter and Brock Sturges rounding out the group.

Smith was a breakout performer in the 2017 Spring Game getting a large workload with a lot of breakout plays.

Floyd comes to Arizona State as a JUCO transfer from City College of San Francisco where he recorded 1,797 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns last season. He was the third-highest ranked JUCO running back prospect according to ESPN.

Carter and Sturges could get redshirted this upcoming season. Carter is from Many High School in Many, Louisiana where he’s a consensus top-45 running back prospect nationally and recorded two 2,000+ yard seasons and 70 touchdowns in his junior and senior seasons combined.

Sturges is from Allen High School in Allen, Texas and was nationally ranked as a top-50 running back prospect as a three-star prospect. The freshman tailback posted three 1,000-yard seasons tapping off at 1,985 rushing yards his senior season.

There’s a lot of talent and depth for Arizona State as the Sun Devils plan to continue to use a two-back system like they utilized with Ballage and Richard.

Next: ASU Football: Who’s awaiting in the wings should Manny Wilkins be out?

Benjamin is destined to break out onto the scene next season and could finish as one of the best running backs in the Pac-12.

Home/ASU Football