Two-way players make mark in college football
James Conner of Pittsburgh, Scott Harding of Hawaii, Kevin Pope of SMU and Shaq Thompson of Washington join UCLA's Myles Jack on the list of the nation's best two-way players. Meet them.
RB-DE JAMES CONNER, PITTSBURGH
As a true freshman, running back James Conner was an offensive powerhouse. He led Pittsburgh with 799 rushing yards; 229 of those came in the Panthers' 30-27 win against Bowling Green in the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl. Bowling Green interim coach Adam Scheier certainly noticed, calling Conner a "bear to tackle."
Pitt head coach Paul Chryst didn't want to stop Conner's momentum, so he let the freshman take several snaps on defense.
Conner, 19, who is 6-2, 250 pounds, was recruited to play defensive end. But after a productive season at running back during his senior year of high school, the coaching staff decided to make him a starting running back last fall.
"He's a special player," Chryst says. "He hasn't gotten caught up in the specialization."
This season Conner will be primarily a running back, but expect to also see him step in on the defensive line for third downs.
"Our plan is to try to pick up where we left off," Chryst says. "He is definitely a running back first, but I think we can get some meaningful snaps out of him on defense."
Chryst explains that Pitt's decision to use Conner both ways had more to do with Conner's talent than the rest of the Pitt roster. "(James) is just scratching the surface as far as what he can be," says Chryst.
In the meantime, Conner amplified his workouts to prepare to play on both sides of the ball. "The toughest part about that is being conditioned when you don't leave the field," Conner says.
So what does that conditioning entail? "Lunges," he says. "That's one of my secrets."
Q: Offense or defense — what do you enjoy playing more and why?
A: "I like probably running back just because I've been doing it since I've been playing little league football. When you cross the goal line, when you score a touchdown you know you help your team take the lead that feels real good."
Q: Name a team other than your own that you respect and why.
A: "I'd have to say this year I respect Auburn a lot for playing in a lot of close games and coming out with victories. And going to the national championship and fighting real hard until the end."
Q: Name a coach other than your own that you would like to play for and why.
A: "A coach that wins all the time, so Nick Saban at Alabama. Just because they win a lot."
WR-P-PR SCOTT HARDING, HAWAII
Scott Harding might be the most versatile player in college football. The 28-year-old senior from Brisbane, Australia, plays not one, not two, but three specialty positions for the Rainbow Warriors: wide receiver, punt returner and punter.
Last season Harding, who is 5-11, 200 pounds, was No. 2 on the team in receiving yards with 56 receptions for 631 yards, earning him team MVP honors.
Before coming to Hawaii in 2011 as a wide receiver, Harding played six seasons in the Australian Football League.
"When I played back home, you've got to be able to do everything," he says. "You've got to be able to catch, and kick and run and tackle and play offense and defense."
After Harding's freshman season, Norm Chow replaced Greg McMackin as head coach. With Chow came a whole new staff, including special teams coach Chris Demarest.
It did not take Demarest long to notice of Harding's skill set. He recalls a particular spring practice where Harding was fooling around on the field, showing off his powerful rugby-style kick to the punters.
"I started getting thoughts in my head about doing different things (with Scott) and trying to be as innovative as I could with the punt team," Demarest says.
By Harding's sophomore season, he was doing a little bit of everything.
"I definitely prefer being a receiver," he says. "But I love doing punt return — it is a huge adrenaline rush in my life… and punting is just really, really fun."
According to Demarest, "He is a dual threat on fourth down because they don't know if we're going to fake it, take it, run it or what we're going to do," says Demarest.
"I wish we had a whole team of Scott Hardings."
Q: Offense or defense — what do you enjoy playing more and why?
A: "Offense because I know the offense really well and there are more chances to score."
Q: Name a team other than your own that you respect and why.
Q: Name a coach other than your own that you would like to play for and why.
LB-RB KEVIN POPE, SOUTHERN METHODIST
Kevin Pope, 22, is a flip-flopper. In four years with the Mustangs Pope has switched from offense to defense and back again.
Recruited as a running back, he started playing linebacker in 2011 after redshirting in 2010. He was a reliable presence for the Mustangs last season, No. 2 on the team in tackles (91), including 10½ for loss.
When running back K.C. Nlemchi was injured just before the Mustangs' penultimate game last season, Pope saw an opportunity.
"It all started with me telling [head coach June Jones] every day if he needed some help at running back, I could help him," said Pope, who is 5-11, 222 pounds.
Jones finally, in the absence of healthy players, decided to let Pope get some action on offense.
"You're just an injury away from being in the same situation," linebackers coach Eric Daniels. "We didn't plan on playing him both ways last year, but with the situation he just did a great job."
Daniels credits Pope's versatility to his small-town background — Mount Enterprise, Texas, population: 452. Given the town's size, Pope was used to playing multiple positions every game in high school.
"I really had to play and know every position on the field," he says.
Pope plans to take on a greater offensive focus this season, taking snaps on both sides of the ball, running back first and linebacker second.
To give him a breather, coaches sometimes leave on the bench for special teams.
Although Pope's playing time will increase, Daniels doesn't seem worried.
"He's a real blue-collar worker," Daniels said. "His nickname on the team is "one speed" because he goes hard every play."
Q: Offense or defense — what do you enjoy playing more and why?
A: "I like them both, but since I was recruited as a running back I kind of like running back a little bit more."
Q:Name a team other than your own that you respect and why.
A: "Texas A&M. They are a great program, well-coached and great at football."
Q: Name a coach other than your own that you would like to play for and why.
A: "Chuck Pagano — I grew up a Colts fan. and I'm still a Colts fan."
***
LB-RB SHAQ THOMPSON, WASHINGTON
Star linebacker Shaq Thompson, 20, will be adding a new position to his résumé this season: running back.
Last year the 6-1, 228-pound Thompson was one of the Huskies' top defenders, with 78 tackles and one 80-yard interception return for a touchdown against Oregon State. This year he will start taking snaps on offense, though the coaching staff does not yet know where Thompson will fit into Washington's running game.
Thompson originally proposed the idea of becoming a two-way player in a meeting with defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski before spring ball. Much to his surprise, coaches agreed to give Thompson snaps on offense.
"We just saw his athletic ability and what he could do," linebackers coach Bob Gregory says. "If there is an opportunity for a really good, talented player to play on both sides of the ball, we're certainly willing to take it."
It didn't take long for Thompson to impress running backs coach Keith Bhonapha. "He really can be put in anywhere on the football field," he says. "What separates him from other good players is his work ethic," he says.
So far, the biggest challenge for the star linebacker has been learning the playbook. "It is still kind of a different mindset on offense," he says.
But, Thompson says, working with Bhonapha has made the fledgling running back's game smarter. "Now I can actually read the defense," he says.
The coaching staff, however, knows that Thompson is a linebacker first and a running back second.
"Running backs these days take a beating," Gregory says. "If he is able to give us some help on the offensive side and relieve a little bit with some of our other running backs, that's a positive thing."
Q: Offense or defense — what do you enjoy playing more and why?
A: "Defense. I get to hit more and get more contact. I'd rather be hitting than get hit."
Q: Name a team other than your own that you respect and why.
Q: Name a coach other than your own that you would like to play for and why.