The running back position hasn’t been quite as solidified for the Utah football team as it once was at the beginning of the season, but it seems like that has been working out for the Utes.
The team was looking to fill in the hole Devontae Booker left behind after last season and all signs pointed to Joe Williams. Williams did not perform well in Utah’s first two games of the season, however, and after being dropped off of the depth chart heading into the third week against San Jose State, he retired from the game, citing he wasn’t fully capable of performing his duties.
Meanwhile, Zack Moss was emerging as the frontrunner for that starting job. He leaped over Troy McCormick and Williams for that matter, and he was placed in that No. 1 slot on the depth chart. But the Utes were not fully committed to him.
Moss is a true freshman, so he has some things to learn as he goes through his first collegiate season, but the Utah coaching staff also wanted to see what else the other backup running backs could accomplish. Armand Shyne then entered the picture.
Like Moss, the junior college transfer wasn’t anywhere on the depth charts heading into the fall camp. His name wasn’t anywhere those first couple weeks of the season. Shyne does not think his body was where it needed to be, so he wasn’t really expecting to get a start any time soon.
“I came here fat — I was out of shape,” Shyne said.
But it seems like Shyne has made up for it on the field and in the weight room. Although his body isn’t quite where he would like it to be, it is getting there.
Shyne was named the starting running back heading into Utah’s third Pac-12 game of the season and while it is something he imagined happening a year ago, it was more of a fantasy than a reality. Shyne never really thought that dream would come to fruition. But Shyne’s mom has been right by his side through all his ups and downs, and he is thankful he has someone like her to rely on.
The Oakland native even got a chance to play in front of his mom when the team traveled to Berkeley to play Cal. Although she may not understand all the nuances of the game, Shyne was thrilled she could watch from the stands.
“Whenever I need someone to talk to, I call my mom,” Shyne said.
Head coach Kyle Whittingham did not think Shyne would be ready this early into the season, but he is thankful that the “next man up” mentality has resonated with Shyne. It is one of the big reasons why he gave him that first start against Arizona on Oct. 8.
Whittingham thinks Shyne has been a fierce competitor and he hopes he can step up once the team gets deeper into Pac-12 play.
“Armand has played excellent football,” Whittingham said. “He’s running with a lot of violence and good vision.”
Shyne is not going to let any praise or attention get to his head, however. He wants to continue to make his mom and his teammates proud, so he’ll keep working hard to make the most out of any opportunity he is given.
Shyne is confident he can fill that dominant running back role Booker left behind. Shyne models his game after LaDainian Tomlinson, and he hopes he can bring some of that fire power Tomlinson always played with to the field for the Utes.
“I think my running style does suit this offense well,” Shyne said. “[I’m] aggressive, strong, [and] quick. I try my best do it all so I won’t have a default in my game.”
@kbrenneisen