Ali Halloum 
PHOTO COURTESY UTRGV ATHLETICS
Entering the Vaqueros’ running-back room, there is one word boldly written on the dry-erase board: “trust.” That describes what running backs coach Marco Regalado stresses to the players.
“It’s trust that your training has prepared you,” Regalado said. “Trust in the scheme, trust in your footwork, trust in your tempo. It’s just, again, trust everything.”
Starting the season 2-0, as of press time Thursday, it is as good a start as the Vaqueros could have hoped for. They can credit many things, but one factor to keep an eye on is UTRGV’s backfield.
The Vaqueros’ official roster lists seven running backs, with five having seen touches.
Regalado spoke with The Rider and said he was “proud” but not surprised at the efforts the Vaqueros’ running-back room has given the team.
“We got a really talented running-back room where we can kind of plug and play just about anybody,” he said. “I’m not surprised with the success they’re having. … Overall, I’m really proud.”
Trusting the run is what the Vaqueros did for a 27-21 victory Saturday against Prairie View A&M University for their first road win and the first win against a Division I opponent in program history.
Graduate running back Nathan Denney, a Yale transfer, played a key role in this win, scoring the game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter while rushing for 114 yards.
When asked about his performance that earned him the Southland Conference Offensive Player of the Week award, Denney credited it as a team win, saying the team had a “great performance.”
Redshirt junior running back Djouvensky Schlenbaker, who scored the first rushing touchdown in program history on Aug. 30, said Denney was “getting what he wanted” any time he rushed.
“He was cooking,” Schlenbaker said. “It was just like run after run. And when he scored the touchdown, it was even better.”
During the game, Denney also caught 5 passes for 37 yards, while redshirt freshman running back TJ Dement also caught 3 passes for 40 yards, signaling an intent to utilize running backs as passing targets.
“We like to get those guys out in the pass game,” head coach Travis Bush said. “They are unique, and I like our running-back room. They all got various skills and talents.”
Bush said Denney is the “full package” of size, speed and strength, adding other running backs such as Schlenbaker, Dement and redshirt freshman RB Fabian Garcia all have their strengths and would continue to see touches.
Dement, who leads all the team’s running backs in rushing touchdowns with 3 as of press time, said they support each other’s achievements on and off the field.
“We’re really close, just us seven,” he said. “Any one of us could go out in there and play and do great. I really do think that. And we always support each other.”
As for whether the team has a starting running back, Regalado said he has a “solid rotation of backs” they can situationally deploy, and there is “plenty of football left” to find “that guy.”
“I think it also depends on the game plan,” he said. “When running backs are hot, you kind of let him roll and you let him run with it.”
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