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SALT LAKE CITY — This season, Utah’s running back core is fueled by grit.
The group says it stems from how new running backs coach Kiel McDonald runs practice, filled with emotion and passion.
“He brings grit, a tenacity,” said sophomore running back Zack Moss. “We were a little more laid back last year. Our coach this year takes practice more serious, demanding a lot more in practice and being consistent every day.”
Head coach Kyle Whittingham has also noticed the difference in the way the running backs practice this year. He said 33-year-old McDonald is “a young coach who’s really eager to have his group perform well.
“He’s very emotional and passionate about what he’s doing," added Whittingham. "It’s infectious.”
McDonald also brings a unique point of view. As a former cornerback, McDonald understands what defenses are up to when aligning for an upcoming play. He views his switch from defense to offense as an advantage because he’s able to tell his athletes what to expect from the opponent when they line up.
“You get a chance to tell these running backs the scheme, what the defense is trying to do and how we can expose them,” McDonald said.
McDonald came to Utah from Eastern Washington, where he served the same position as well as the co-special teams coordinator. In his first two seasons with the Eagles, he improved their run game from 79 yards per game to nearly 184. Their yards per carry nearly doubled to 5.3 yards in three seasons — the school’s best figure in 12 years.
McDonald worked alongside Troy Taylor, Utah’s new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, at Eastern Washington last season. The pair put together an FCS second-best total offense ranking (529.6 yards per game) and third-ranked scoring offense (42.4 points per game).
Taylor, who was hired by Utah early in the offseason, called McDonald expressing there might be some interest in Utah hiring him. A month later the Utes and McDonald agreed to terms.
“I was really fired up when I got the call,” McDonald said. “Utah is a great place. I’ve watched them for years and they have a great running back tradition.”
McDonald inherits a run game that has featured several 1,000-yard rushers over the past few seasons under Dennis Erickson, who spent the past four years developing now NFL rushers Devontae Booker and Joe Williams before retiring after last season.
McDonald knew he was walking into a “great, great situation” thanks to Erickson’s recruiting. He also trusted what he was walking into since he has personal ties to the former coach. He played for Erickson at Idaho in 2006 and served under him as the graduate assistant offensive quality control coach at Arizona State in 2011.
“Before I took this job, I got a chance to briefly talk to Coach E.,” McDonald said. “He said nothing but good things about the program.”
While Utah’s running backs are operating practices differently, McDonald is adding to the building blocks that have been in the program for years. He said there are many similarities in the run game he and Taylor are installing, it’s just getting the guys to continue running downhill and add on to the building blocks that have been in the program for years.
“It’s always next man up. It’s always going to be downhill and physical, period,” McDonald said.
“He’s a great coach. I love him. He’s real tough and never gives you a day off,” Moss said. “Every day when you come out here, he expects the best from you. He wants you to be the most consistent guy on the field, to be the best group on this team. It’s always, 'Come out and compete every day. Be better today than you were yesterday.'"
