MIAMI (May 7, 2020) - This week we preview FIU's running backs as we look ahead to the upcoming season. 

POSITION BREAKDOWN
Position: Running Backs
Position Coach: Tim Harris, Jr.
Key Returner: D'Vonte Price

PLAYER TO WATCH
D'Vonte Price has rushed for nearly 1,000 yards over his three-year career with the Panthers, while also becoming a threat out of the backfield with over 200 yards receiving. Despite sharing the load with Napoleon Maxwell and Anthony Jones over the past two seasons, Price has averaged 6.1 yards per carry which would be a school-record if his career were to end today. 

QUOTES FROM PRICE
Price on Goals for 2020: "My goal for the 2020 season is to become the top running back coming out of C-USA. Be consistent all year. The team's goal is to have a winning season while playing as a unit. We need everyone on the same page all year to stay focused on one goal."

Price on the Running Back Room: "Being in that room has helped me get better over the years because I knew I had to come to practice every day and compete. If you didn't, then your spot could be taken at any moment. So that made me and everyone else in the RB room have a mindset to come and compete every day!"
 
Price on Coach Tim Harris, Jr.: "Coach Harris is a great coach. He always prepares us in the best way possible to be successful. He always brings the energy to the meetings and practices. He never lets you be just average in that room. He always pushes me to do my best."

QUOTES FROM COACH TIM HARRIS
Harris on Goals for 2020: "Our number one goal is staying focused on our vision as a program that Coach Davis has set out for us. We want to give our best each and every time we are on the football field and go 1-0 each week. We've preached that to our staff and the players have picked up on it as well. Accomplishing that goal will put ourselves into a position to be a championship team."

Harris on Replacing Napoleon Maxwell and Anthony Jones: "The biggest thing with those two is how much they played and how much experience they had. Their leadership and voice meant something to the group. It'll be a little weird not having them around this fall, but I think with the talent and ability we currently have on our roster we can pick up where they left off and even raise the bar."

Harris on D'Vonte Price: "He will have a tremendous opportunity to be the guy this year. Talent-wise, he's as good of a player that I've ever been around. He's big, fast, catches the ball and can do things that are really special at that position. Leadership-wise, we want him to take the next step and have a voice not only in the running back room, but on the team as a whole. He is a well-respected guy on the team and a good teammate, but we want him to come out of his shell a little bit and take that next step this season."

Harris on Other Returnees: "Joseph, Peterson, Townsend and Williams are all really competitive young men and they've all shown signs of being able to be the guy as well. They're the right combo of players to push D'Vonte Price and we're excited to watch them compete this year. The more competition we have in the running back room, the better it'll be for us all. Last year, our running backs we're all talented, so it helped them stay focused because they knew if they stopped working they would get left behind by the group. This next crop of guys will be like that too, because they've all shown really good things and we're looking forward to watching that competition this fall."

Harris on Newcomers: "We're really excited about both Kejon Owens and Eric Wilson. Kejon is another local kid from Miami Central and we've had great success with recruits from there at the running back spot with Anthony Jones and Lexington Joseph. Kejon has gotten better every year through his high school career and he's a winner. Wilson comes from another winning program in Armwood and he's played a lot of football. He has a little different style of play than Kejon, but brings what we need in our running back room, which is winners and competitors to elevate the whole group." 

SOCIAL MEDIA
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