Head To Head Matchup: Running Back

Thank goodness Halloween will be over by the time the Noles play Boston College because the numbers put up by BC players is frightening. Take the running game as one example. Senior running back Andre Callender is putting up great numbers in both rushing and receiving stats. The 5'11" 204 pound back from Roselle, New Jersey scored the winning TD in the win over Virginia Tech when he caught a pass in the end zone from QB Matt Ryan.

For the year, Callender has rushed for 656 yards and scored 8 TDS. He is averaging almost 5 yards a carry. Callender is also used extensively in pass plays out of the backfield. In receptions, he has 304 yards receiving on 31 catches and 4 TDs. His longest run has been for 69 yards which resulted in a TD. Frightening indeed! Callender is backed up by 5'11" running back L.V. Whitworth who has 307 yards and 3 TDs for the year. He also is averaging almost 5 yards a carry. His longest run of the year has been for 52 yards.

Callender in high school earned SuperPrep All-America honors as a senior running back at Seton Hall Prep. He was named to recruiting analyst Tom Lemming's All-East team in 2002. He is described as an elusive and shifty back. He completed the 2006 regular season with 1,978 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 426 career carries. Callender has also recorded six career 100-yard rushing performances, including a career-best 174 yards against North Carolina in the 2004 Continental Tire Bowl. In last year's win at Florida State Callender did not have much running success rushing for only seven times for 24 yards.

As some have said, Andre Callender had always been a nice little player for Boston College. However, under new offensive coordinator Steve Logan’s system, Callender has become more than just a nice little player. He has become a leading man. Perhaps most importantly, Callender has been the man to go to when the Eagles need to get into the end zone. Initially, Callender was struggling in the zone blocking scheme instituted by new head coach Jeff Jagodzinski, “At first, I was really curious about (the offense),” Callender said. “There would be some days when I would do really well in it and other days when I was like, ‘What am I doing out there?’

Boston College Linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar, who has to contend with Callender in spring and summer for five seasons, is not surprised at how he has performed this year. “He was always an explosive player,” Dunbar said. “The old scheme was a power scheme, and I don’t think that suited him as much. In this zone, cut-back kind of scheme, I think that suits Andre the best, and he has blossomed in this scheme. I think this offense really fits Andre. I’ve always known Andre was fast, and he’s a guy that works hard. Sooner or later, he was going to have one of those seasons that was going to be eye-opening. And this is that season.” Let's hope the Noles can find a way to stop Callender on Saturday.

On the Nole side is Antone Smith who was limited in practice on Monday but still is expected to play on Saturday. Smith has had two games in a row now of 100 yards or more. Smith for the year has rushed for 582 yards and 3 TDs. Against Duke, Smith rushed for 146 yards on 23 carries. Smith will need to have a good game against Boston College and will need to hang onto the ball. If Smith can't go, then Jamaal Edwards will probably have to carry the load. Edwards has not had that much playing time and has only had 31 carries for 64 yards.